will of the people all his land sauing two castels Aberteiui and Stratmeyric which his brother Maelgon by the aid of Gwenwynwyn had wrongfullie taken from him Then his brother Maelgon fearing his displeasure tooke a solemne oth before noble and religious men which were about to make peace betwixt them that if his brother Gruffyth would giue him pledges for the assurance of his owne person he would deliuer him by a day the castell of Aberteiui whervpon Gruffyth did so But assoone as Maelgon got the pledges he fortified the castell manned it to his owne vse and sent the pledges to Gwenwynwyn who hated Gruffyth to the death there to be kept in prison But shortlie after by Gods helpe they brake the prison escaped home In the yeare 1199. Maelgon sonne to prince Rees laid siege to the castell of Dynerth and getting it slew all the garrison which his brother Gruffyth had left to defend it But at the same time Gruffyth wan the castell of Cilgerran and fortified it This yeare as king Richard did vew the castell of Chaleus in the countrie of Lenuoyle he was striken with a quarell and sore wounded whereof he died the ninth of April and left by his testament Iohn his brother inheritor of all his lands hauing no respect to his brother Geffreys son Arthur duke of Brytaine who being the sonne of the elder brother was his right heire Then this Iohn surnamed Without land was crowned king of England with great triumph wherfore the French king forth with made warre against him to whom Arthur duke of Brytaine cleaued thinking thereby to obtaine the crowne of England Also the king of Scots by meanes of Hugh Bygod came to Yorke and openlie sware fidelitie to the king of England The yeare after Gruffyth sonne to Conan ap Owen Gwyneth a noble man died and was buried in a moonks cowle at the Abbey of Conwy and so were all the nobles for the most part of that time buried for they were made to beleeue by the moonks and friers that that strange weed was a sure defense betwixt their soules and hell how so euer they died And all this baggage and superstition receiued they with moonks and friers a few yeres before that out of England For the first Abbey or frier house that we read of in Wales sith the destruction of the noble house of Bangor which sauored not of Romish dregges was the Tuy Gwyn built the yeare 1146. and after they swarmed like bees through all the countrie for then the Cleargie had forgotten the lesson that they had receiued of the noble Clerke Ambrosius Telesinus who writing in the yeare 540. when the right Christian faith which Ioseph of Aremathia taught at the Ile of Aualon reigned in this land before the proud and bloodthirstie moonke Augustine infected it with his Romish doctrine in a certaine Ode hath these verses Gwae'r offeiriad byd Nys angreifftia gwyd Ac ny phregetha Gwae ny cheidw ey gail Ac ef yn vigail Ac nys areilia Gwae ny theidw ey dheuaid Rhae bleidhie Rhufeniaid A'i ffon gnwppa Which may thus be Englished almost word for word Wo be to that priest yborne That will not cleanlie weed his corne And preach his charge among Wo be to that shepherd I saie That will not watch his fold alwaie As to his office doth belong Wo be to him that doth not keepe From Romish woolues his sheepe With staffe and weapon strong And because no man should doubt of them I haue set them here as they were written by him that made them Whereby it may be proued that the Brytaines the first inhabiters of this realme did abhorre the Romish doctrine taught in that time which doctrine I am sure is litle amended now in the church of Rome and that may be to vs a mirrour to see our owne follie if we doo degenerate from our forefathers the ancient Brytaines in the sinceritie of true religion as we doo in other things This yeare Maelgon ap Rees seeing he could not well keepe Aberteiui of verie spite to his brother and hatred to his countrie sold it to the Englishmen for a small summe of monie being the keie and locke of all Wales The same yeare Madoc the sonne of Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfild did build the abbie of Lhanegwest called in English commonlie Vale crucis This yeare also king Iohn made peace with the French king and Arthur duke of Brytaine his nephue and married Isabel daughter and heire vnto the Earle of Angolisme which was before assured vnto Hugh de Brune Uicount of Carce wherefore the said Hugh forsooke king Iohn and became his enimie This Hugh Brune Earle of March and Turyn had this Isabel to wife after the death of king Iohn by whome he had issue William de Valence who in the right of Ione his wife daughter and heire of Warren Montchensey and of Ione the eldest daughter and one of the heires of William Earle Marshall and Penbrooke was Earle of Penbrooke as in this historie hereafter doth appeare The yeare 1201. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales being a lustie yoong man banished out of the land his coosen Meredyth the sonne of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth suspected of treason and seased the Cantref of Lhyyn and Euyonyth to his owne hands which were Conans land Then shortlie after Meredyth the sonne of prince Rees was slaine at Carnwilhion by treason whose elder brother Gruffyth seased vpon his castell in Lhanymdhyfri and all his lands This Gruffyth was a wise and discreet gentleman and one that was like to bring all Southwales to good order and obedience who in all things folowed his fathers steppes whom as he succeeded in gouernment so he did in all martiall prowes and nobilitie of mind but cruell fortune which frowned vpon that countrie suffered him not long to enioy his land This prince died vpon S. Iames daie ensuing and was buried at Stratflur with great solemnitie he left behind him a son called Rees as right inheritor of Southwales whose mother was Mawd the daughter of William de Bruse Also this yeare died Arthur duke of Brytaine at Roane not without suspicion of poison ministred by his vncles meanes who caused his sister Elianor to be conueied to England and to be kept in prison miserablie in the castell of Brystow as long as she liued Then the French king got all Normandie sauing Roane and two castels by treason of the Normanes who hated Iohn to the death The next yeare after that certeine lords of Wales got the castell of Gwerthrynion which was Roger Mortimers and made it plaine with the ground Then Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Northwales calling to memorie his estate and title and how all the other princes by the ordinance of Roderike the Great and after by the lawes of Howel Dha ought of right to acknowledge the king or prince of Northwales as their liege lord and hold
the beginning was in some distresse vntill Athelstane stepped in betwéene his father and Leofred and wounded the Dane in the arme in such sort that he being not able to hold his speare was soone taken and committed to the custodie of Athelstane In the meane time Edmund and Edred incountring with Gruffyth slew him and brought his head to their father Then Athelstane caused Leofred to be headed and so both their heads were set vp together on the top of the towre of Chester and Edward and his sonnes returned home with great triumph Then Edward after he had builded Glademutham died at Ferandyne whose sonne named Alfred died also the same time at Oxford and were buried both at Winchester Anno 924. After whose death Adelstane his base son reigned King of England which was the woorthiest prince of Saxon bloud that euer reigned He did ouercome Cudfryd the father of Reynald King of the Danes at Yorke He gathered also the second yeare of his reigne a great armie against Hawlaf King of Ireland who came with the whole power of the Scots and Danes against him and gaue him battell at Brimestburie where Adelstan gate the victorie and slue the said king Hawlaf and the king of Scots and fiue kings of the Danes and Normanes and twelue Earles so that he brought all the land of England and Scotland in subiection to him which none of his predecessors had euer attempted The yeare 933. Owen the sonne of Gruffyth was slaine by the men of Caerdigan Then Adelstan did enter Wales with a great armie and brought the kings of the countrie to subiection and receiued yearelie of tribute 20. pound in gold and 300. pound in siluer and 200. head of cattell yet the lawes of Howel Dha appointed to the king of Aberfraw to paie yearelie to the king of London no more but 66. pound for a tribute and that the prince of Dinevwre and the prince of Powys should paie a like summe 66. pound yearelie to the king of Aberfraw To this Adelstan the kings of Norwaie and France did send great and rich gifts to winne his friendship and good will In the yeare 936. died Evneth the sonne of Clydawc and Meyric the sonne of Cadelh At this time also Adelstan did remooue the Brytaines that dwelt in Excester and thereaboutes to Cornewale and appointed the riuer Cambia to be the vtter mere towards England as he had before appointed the riuer Wy to be the mere of England and Wales In the yeare of Christ 939. the noble prince Adelstan died and was buried at Malmesburie and his brother Edmund borne in wedlocke reigned in his place who in the first yeare of his reigne wan fiue cities from the Danes Leycester Darby Stafford Lincolne and Notingham Then Aulafe King of the Danes sent to Edmund to desire peace and baptisme which Edmund granted vnto him and so the Danes which then were called Normanes tooke first the christian faith Edmund being their godfather who making peace with them returned to Westsex with much honor This yeare died Abloic chiefe King of Ireland The yeare following Cadelh the sonne of Arthvael a noble Brytaine was imprisoned and Edwal Voel the sonne of Anarawd and Elise his brother were slaine in a battell which they fought against the Danes and Englishmen This Edwal had sixe sonnes Meyric Ieuaf or Ieuan Iago which is Iames Conan Edwal Vachan and Roderike After whose death Howel Dha his coosen germane ruled all Wales for his life time Elise also had issue Conan and a daughter named Trawst which was mother to Conan ap Sitsylht Gruffyth ap Sitsylht and Blethyn ap Convyn which two last were afterward princes of Wales Howel Dha Howel Dha cousen germane to Edwal Voel Howel Dha king or prince of all Wales perceiuing the lawes and customes of his countrie to haue growne vnto great abuse sent for the Archbishop of Meneuia and all the other Bishops and chiefe of the cleargie to the number of 140. prelates and all the Barons and nobles of Wales and caused sixe men of the wisest and best estéemed in euerie Comote to be called before him whome he commanded to méete all together at his house called Y Tuy gwyn ar Taf that is The white house vpon the riuer Taf. Thither he came himselfe and there remained with those his nobles prelates and subiects all the Lent in praier and fasting crauing the assistance and direction of Gods holy spirit that he might reforme the lawes and customes of the countrie of Wales to the honor of God and the quiet gouernement of the people About the end of Lent he chose out of that companie twelue men of the wisest grauest and of the greatest experience to whome he added one clearke or doctor of the lawes named Blegored a singular learned and perfect wise man These had in charge to examine the old lawes and customes of Wales and to gather out of those such as were méete for the gouernement of the countrie which they did reteining those that were wholesome and profitable expounding those that were doubtfull and ambiguous and abrogating those that were superfluous and hurtfull and so ordeined thrée sorts of lawes The first of the ordering of the kings or princes houshold and his court The second of the affaires of the countrie and common wealth The third of the speciall customes belonging to particular places and persons Of all the which being read allowed and proclamed he caused thrée seuerall bookes to be written one for his dailie vse to follow his court another to lie in his palace at Aberffraw and the third at Dinevowr that all the thrée prouinces of Wales might haue the vse of the same when néede required And for the better obseruation of these lawes he caused the Archbishop of S. Dauids to denounce sentence of excommunication against all such of his subiects as refused to obeie the same Within a while after Howel because he would omit nothing that could procure countenance and authoritie to his said lawes went to Rome taking with him the Archbishop of S. Dauids the Bishops of Bangor and S. Asaph and thirtéene other of the learnedst and wisest men in Wales where the said lawes being recited before the Pope were by his authoritie confirmed then hauing finished his deuout pilgrimage and emptied his purse he returned home againe with his companie 1 By these lawes they might not morgage their lands but to one of the same familie or kindred which were De eadem parentela 2 Euerie tenant holding of anie other than of the prince or lord of the fée paid a fine Pro defensione regia which was called Arian ardhel in Latine Aduocarij 3 No legacie of goods by will was good otherwise than those which were giuen to the church to the lord of the fée or for paiment of debts 4 Euerie man might distraine as well for debts as for rent of lands anie goods or cattell sauing horsses which were counted to
companions who in that heat of contention obiected vnto him that he was but a bastard begotten in vnlawfull bed Which reproch so gréeued VValter that he fell vpon the other and slew him wherevpon fearing the punishment of the law he fled into Scotland where he fell into the companie of those Englishmen which were come thither with Quéene Margaret the sister of Edgar Edeling amongst whom he shewed himself so discréet and sober in all his demcanor that he was highlie estéemed of all men and so attaining to higher reputation and credit was afterward emploied in the affaires of the common wealth and at length made Lord Steward of Scotland receiuing the kings reuenewes of the whole realme Of the which office he and his posteritie reteined that sirname of Steward euer after from whom descended the most noble kings of Scotland of the familie of Stewards besides manie other Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barones of great fame and renowme Also at this time Siward that worthie Earle of Northumberland being brought to the point of death with the bloudie fluxe bewailed his mischance that he had escaped in manie a dangerous battell and now should die such a filthie and cowardlie death and calling his friends and his men about him commanded them to set him in his chaire and to arme him at all points and put his shield in the left hand and so made an end of his worthie life Whose Earldome because his sonne was within yeares was giuen to Tosty Godwyns sonne In the yeare 1054. Gruffyth the son of Rytherch ap Iestyn did gather a great number aswell strangers as others against Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn king or prince of Wales but commonlie called king of Northwales who detracting no time meeting him fought with him slew him Shortlie after Algar Earle of Chester being conuicted of treason against the king fled to Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who gathered his power to reuenge the often wrongs which he had receiued at the Englishmens hands who euer succoured his enimies against him Therefore he together with Algar entred Herefordshire and spoiled all the waie with fire and sword to the citie whither all the people had fled and they boldlie issued forth Earle Randulph being their leader and gaue him battell which Gruffyth wished for aboue anie other thing as he that had wonne fiue set fields and couragiouslie receiuing his enimies fought with them Which fight was long doubtfull till such time as Gruffyth incouraged his people with the remembrance of the prowesse worthie actes of the ancient Brytaines their forfathers saieng that they were the same enimies whose backes they had so oftentimes seene before which doubled their strength and force and so they pressed forwards that their foes were compelled to forsake the field and trust to their feete where their hands preuailed not and thought to haue taken the towne for their defense But Gruffyth and his men pursued them so hard that they entred with them and after a great slaughter returned home with manie worthie prisoners great triumph rich spoiles leauing nothing in the towne but bloud ashes and the walles rased to the ground There be some which affirme that king Edward by euill counsell as it is thought banished Algar the sonne of Earle Leofrike wherevpon he gat him into Ireland and there prouiding xviij ships of rouers returned and ioined himself with Gruffyth king or prince of Wales who both together inuaded the countrie of Mercia about Hereford where Ranulph Earle of that countrie who was sonne to king Edwards sister named Goda by hir first husband VValter de Maunt came against them with a great armie and met them about two miles from Hereford where after a sore fight by the space of thrée houres Ranulph and his armie were discomfited and about 500. of them slaine and the rest put to flight whome Gruffyth Algar pursued to Hereford and entring the towne set the cathedrall church on fire and slue the Bishop named Leogar with seauen of the canons spoiled and burnt the towne miserablie Wherevpon king Edward being aduertised héereof gathered an armie and sent Haroald the sonne of Earle Godwyn against them who pursuing the enimies to Northwales passed through Stradclwyd to Snowdon but Gruffyth and Algar being afraid to méete Haroald gote them againe to Southwales whereof Haroald being aduertised left one part of his armie in Northwales to resist the enimies there and returning with the residue to Hereford caused a great trench to be cast round about the towne with a high rampire stronglie fortifieng the gates of the same After this by meanes of a parle had with Gruffyth Algar at a place called Biligelhag a peace was concluded wherevpon Algar being pardoned by the king and restored againe to his Earledome returned home to Chester About two yeares after Algar was accused againe of treason so that he was the second time exiled the land and repaired to his old friend Gruffyth prince of Northwales by whome he was receiued ioifullie and restored againe to his Earledome by the aid of certaine strangers which came by chance frō Norwaie Whervpon king Edward being sore offended with Gruffyth sent Haroald againe with power to Northwales to be reuenged vpon him who comming to Ruthlan burned the palace of Gruffyth and his ships and then returned backe to the king at Glocester About this time Edward the sonne of Edmund Ironside came to England with his wife and children Edgar Edeling which signifieth in the Brytish toong a yong Lord or a Prince and Margaret which was afterwards Queene of Scots and mother to Mawd wife to Henrie the first king of England About two yeares after came Roderike sonne to Haroald king of Denmarke with a great armie to Wales and there being freendlie receiued of king Gruffyth ioining his power to Gruffyths entred England and cruellie spoiled and burned a great part of the land But shortlie after Roderike was compelled to returne to his ships and to saile to Denmarke and Gruffyth returned with spoiles This yeare as Haroald Godwyns sonne would haue sailed to Flanders he was driuen by force of a tempest to land in Poytiers where he was taken and conueied to William Bastard duke of Normandie to whom Haroald declared his iournie thither to be onelie to offer him his seruice in the affaires of England and tooke a solemne oth first to marrie the Dukes daughter and after the death of Edward to reserue the crowne to the dukes vse Then shortlie after receiuing rich gifts with much honor he returned to England This yeare died Owen the sonne of Gruffyth ap Rytherch Also Haroald and his brother Tosty by the procurement of Caradoc ap Gruffyth ap Rytherch and others gathered a great power and entred Southwales and subdued a great part thereof and wrought so with those that were about Gruffyth the king that assoone as he had gathered his people in Northwales tooke
of them are descended and of the said Edmond commeth Carnysoyes of Cornewal The said Edward had an other brother called William of whome Stradling of Ruthyn and others are descended the same William had a daughter named VVenlhian who by the Earle of Ryuers had a daughter married to sir Robert Poynes of whome commeth all the Poynes the Newtons Perots and others Sir Harrie Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married with Elizabeth sister of whole bloud to sir VVilliam Herebert knight Earle of Penbroke and had issue by hir one sonne and two daughters one of them was married to Myles ap Harry of whome Mistresse Blanch ap Harrie and hir bretheren and vncles are descended the other daughter was married to Fleming of Monton in VVales This sir Harrie in the sixtéenth yéere of King Edward the fourth went in like maner on pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued the order of the sepulchre there as his father and grandfather did and died in the Isle of Cypres in his comming home whose booke is to be séene as yet with a letter that his man brought from him to his Ladie wife The saieng is that diuers of his said ancestours made the like pilgrimage but there remaineth no memorie in writing but of these thrée This sir Harrie sailing from his house in Somersetshire to his house in Wales was taken prisoner by a Brytaine pirate named Colyn Dolphyn whose redemption and charges stood him in 2000. markes for the paiment whereof he was driuen to sell the castell and manour of Basselek and Sutton in Monmouthshire and two manours in Oxfordshire Thomas Stradling esquier his sonne succéeded him and married Ienet daughter to Thomas Matthew of Rayder Esquier and had issue by hir two sonnes Edward and Harrie and one daughter named Iane and died before he was xxvi yeares of age After whose death his wife married with sir Rice ap Thomas knight of the garter Harrie married with the daughter and heire of Thomas Iubb learned in the lawe and had issue by hir Francis Stradling of S. George by Bristow yet liuing Iane was married to sir William Gruffyth of Northwales knight and had issue by hir thrée sonnes Edward sir Rice Gruffyth knight and Iohn and seauen daughters The eldest married to Stanley of Houghton the second to sir Richard Buckley knight the third to Lewys the fourth to Moston the fift to Conwey the sixt to Williams the seauenth to Pers Motton and after to Simon Theloal esquier whose wife at this time she is the eight to Philips Of which daughters there be a wonderfull number descended Edward married Iane daughter to sir Iohn Puleston knight and had issue by hir thrée daughters Iane married to VVilliam Herebert of S. Iulian Catharine married to VVilliam Herebert of Swansey and an other daughter married to sir Nicholas Bagnoll knight Sir Edward Sradling knight succéeded his father and married with Elizabeth one of the thrée daughters of sir Thomas Arundell of Lanheyron in Cornewall knight The other two were married to Speke and S. Lowe and had issue foure sonnes Thomas Robert Edward and Iohn Robert married VVatkyn Locher his daughter and hath by hir manie children Edward married with the daughter and heire of Robert Baglan of Lantwit and hath also diuers children and Iohn is a priest Also the said sir Edward had two daughters Iane married to Alexander Popham of Somersetshire of whom is a great number descended and Catharine married to sir Thomas Palmer knight of Sussex who hath a sonne named VVilliam Sir Thomas Sradling knight his sonne succéeded him and married Catharine the eldest daughter to sir Thomas Gamage of Coyty knight and to dame Margaret his wife daughter to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Bledso knight by whom he hath liuing yet two sonnes Edward and Dauid and fiue daughters Elizabeth Damasyn Iane Ioice and Wenlhian Sir Edward Stradling knight that now is married Agnes second daughter to sir Edward Gage of Sussex knight and as yet in the yeare 1572. hath no issue Memorandum that of the heires male of the aforesaid twelue knights that came with sir Robert Fitzhamon to the winning of Glamorgan the Lordship aforesaid there is at this daie but the Stradling a liue that dwelleth in VVales and enioieth the portion giuen in reward to his ancestors There be yet of the yoonger brothers of the Turberuiles and Flemings Greenefeeld and Syward doo yet remaine but they dwell in England and haue doone awaie their lands in VVales The Lord S. Iohn of Bledso although he kéepeth his ancient inheritance in Wales yet he dwelleth in England ¶ Thus farre the copie of the winning of Glamorgan as I receiued the same at the hands of mistris Blanch Parrie collected by Sir Edward Stradling knight There were besides with the said Robert Fitzhamon in this voiage diuers other noble men and gentlemen some out of England some out of Dyuet and other places in Wales which came thither with the said Eneon against Rees ap Theodor of whome Robert Sitsylt was one who albeit he had no part of the said Lordship of Glamorgan that I can read of yet neuerthelesse he was in respect of his good seruice there doone preferred to the marriage of an inheritrice of great possessions in the land of Ewyas and the countrie néere adioining Of which Robert Sitsylt I find this that followeth recorded in a verie ancient writing conteining his whole genelogie of 16. descents of heires male lineallie which writing for the more credit of the historie I thought good here to insert as followeth IN the yeare of Christ 1091. Robert Sitsylt came with Robert Fitzhamon to the conquest of the countrie of Glamorgan and after wedded a Ladie by whome he had Halterennes and other lands in Hereford and Glocestershires he had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt Iames Sitsylt tooke part with Mawd the empresse against king Stephen and was slaine at the siege of the castell of Wallingford An. 4. Stephan hauing then vpon him a vesture whereon was wrought in needle worke his armes or ensignes as they be made on the toombe of Gerald Sitsylt in the Abbeie of Dore which are afterward trulie blazed in a iudgement giuen by commission of king Edward the third for the ancient right of the same armes This Iames had a sonne called Iames Sitsylt and foure daughters Iohn Sitsylt the sonne of Iames was after the death of his father in the same warres with Roger Earle of Hereford and constable of England and being taken prisoner at the siege of Lincolne Anno. 6. Stephani he paid for his ransome 400. marks and therefore sold his lordship of Beauport and all his lands in the countie of Glocester he tooke to wife a Ladie called Mawd de Frenes and had issue Eustace Eustace Sitsylt the sonne of Iohn was wedded to Elianor the daughter of Sir Walter Pembridge Knight and had by hir Baldwin and Iohn and foure daughters whereof one of them was the wife of Sir Thomas Fitzneale knight Baldwin
Shrewesburie were Richard de Belmersh or de Beleasmo as some doo call him who being chéefe dooer about Roger Mountgomery Earle of Salop was preferred to the Bishopricke of London and afterwards appointed by this King Henrie to be warden of the Marches and gouernour of the countie of Salop Walter Constable the father of Milo Earle of Hereford and Rayner the kings lieutenant in the countie of Salop. About this time as Bale noteth the church of Meneuia or S. Dauids began to be subiect to the sea of Canturburie being alwaies before the Metrapolitane church of all Wales In the yeare 1103. Owen ap Edwyn died after great miserie and long sicknesse Then also Richard the sonne of Baldwyn did fortifie the castell of Ridcors and chased Howel ap Grono out of the countrie to whom the King had giuen the custodie of that castell who neuerthelesse returned shortlie after and burned all the countrie houses corne and haie and slew a great number of the Normanes as they returned homeward and kept all the countrie in his subiection except the castels and these garrisons At this time the King did take the rule of Dyuet from Saer to whom he had committed the same and gaue it to Gerald who had beene sometimes Steward there under Arnulph Then the Normanes who were in the castell of Rydcors and other castels there abouts seeing they could not haue the vpper hand of Howel ap Grono in open fight fell to their accustomed practise of treason and so obtained their purpose in this manner There was one Gwgan ap Meyric who had nursed a sonne to Howel ap Grono and therefore verie well trusted and loued of him as the manner of Wales is This traitour being corrupted by the Normanes procured his maisters death bidding him one night to his house to make merrie whither he came gentlie Then Gwgan gaue notise thereof to the garrisons of the castels who in the dawning of the daie entred the towne comming about the house gaue a great showte wherewith Howel awooke and coragiouslie leapt out of his bed and sought his weapons but the traitor Gwgan had conueied them awaie when he was asleepe Then he called for his men but they were all fled to saue their liues and as he would haue gotten awaie he was taken by Gwgan and his companie and strangled whose bodie he deliuered to the Normanes which cut off his head and brought it to the castell of Rydcors And this traitorous murther of the kings lieutenant was left vnpunished For whatsoeuer fault the Normanes committed was alwaies winked at and if the Welshmen did neuer so little offend the lawes of the king it was thought an heinous fault which was the cause that afterwards they rebelled against the king who sought nothing but their vtter destruction About this time Anselme Archbishop of Canturburie called a synod at London where among other things it was ordeined and decreed that priests should not marrie which was not before that time forbidden in Brytaine This ordinance or decree seemed to some verie cleanlie and honest but of other it was thought perilous and dangerous least they seeking to be cleane and honest as they termed it should fall into horrible uncleanlinesse and dishonestie abhominable to a christian man and this was a thousand one hundered and odde yeares after the incarnation of Christ. King Henrie in the fift yeare of his reigne sailed with a great power to Normandie where his brother Robert with Robert de Belesmo Arnulph and William Earle of Mauritania gaue him battell but the King got the victorie and tooke the Duke his brother and William de Mauritania prisoners and carried them to England whom he committed to perpetuall prison and caused his brothers eies to be put out Then shortlie after died Edgar king of Scots and Alexander his brother was crowned in his place by consent of king Henrie At this time Meyric and Gruffyth the sonnes of Trahaern ap Caradoc were both slaine by Owen ap Cadogan ap Blethyn Also Meredyth ap Blethyn brake the prison where he had been a long time and came home and gat his owne inheritance againe and enioied it quietlie The yeare 1108. the rage of the sea did ouerflow and drowne a great part of the lowe countrie of Flanders in such sort that the inhabitants were driuen to seeke themselues other dwelling places who came to King Henrie and desired him to giue them some void place to remaine in who being verie liberall of that which was not his owne gaue them the land of Ros in Dyuet or Westwales where Penbrooke Tenby and Hauerford are now built there they remaine to this daie as may well be perceiued by their speach and conditions farre differing from the rest of the countrie At that time Gerald steward did build againe the castell of Penbrooke in a place called Congarth Vechan and brought thither all his houshold stuffe and other goods with his wife and children Then also Cadogan ap Blethyn made a great feast in Christmas and bad all the Lords of the countrie to his house in Dyuet among whom came Owen his sonne who being at his fathers house and hearing the beautie of Nest wife to Gerald steward of Penbrooke praised aboue all the women in the land was meruelous desirous to see hir And for so much as Gladys wife to Rees ap Theodor or Tewdor and mother to Nest was the daughter of Rywalhon ap Convyn and coosen germane to Cadogan his father he with a few vnder the colour of freendship and coosenage went to see hir finding the truth to surmount the fame he came home all inflamed with hir loue and in that doting moode the same night returning thither againe with a sort of wild companions entred the castell priuilie and compassed the chamber about and set the house on fire wherewith Gerald and his wife awoke and he would haue issued out to know what that noise meant but his wife fearing some treason staied him and counselled him to go to the priuie and so pulling vp the boord she helped him out that waie and then she came to the chamber dore and said that there was none but she and hir children yet they entred in and sought al about but when they could not find him they tooke hir and hir two sons and a sonne and a daughter borne by a concubine to Gerald and caried them awaie to Powys and so burning the castell they spoiled all the countrie Now when Cadogan hard this he was verie sorie and feared the kings displeasure and forthwith went to Powys and willed his sonne to send home to Gerald his wife and children with his goods but Owen in no wise would depart with the woman yet at hir request he sent to Gerald his children againe And when Richard bishop of London whom the king had appointed Warden of the Marches being at Shrewsburie hard of this hee was verie sore offended and
about because of their carrages at whose comming the men which kept the straits skirmished with the kings men and with their arrowes hauing the aduantage of the ground slew some and hurt manie Among these one drew his bowe and shooting towards his foes by fortune stroke the king a great blow vpon the breast but by meane of his maze the arow hurt him not neuerthelesse he was wonderfullie dismaied withall considering how rashlie by misfortune he might lose in that wild countrie the honour and fame which he had wonne before did send to parle with them that kept the passage and to will them vnder assurance to come and speake with him which they did Then he asked them whose men they were and how they durst be so bold as to put the king in such danger and they said that they were Meredyth ap Blethyns men and did nothing but their maisters commandement in keeping the passage Then the king willed them to go to their maister and counsell him to go to the kings peace and he should receiue no hurt which he and his coosins did and fined to the king for their offenses 1000. heads of cattell and the king returned to England King Henrie hauing thus quieted Wales leauing the lord Fitzwaren warden or lieutenant of the Marches returned to England where he held thrée Parliaments this yeare the first about Christmasse at Norwych the second about Easter at Northampton and the third after Whitsuntide at London The yeare ensuing Gruffyth ap Rees ap Theodor did kill Gruffyth ap Sulhaern and Eneon the son of Cadogan died and gaue his part of Powys and Merionyth which he had wonne to his brother Meredyth but Meredyth ap Blethyn his vncle put him backe by force tooke it to himselfe At this time the king did set at libertie Ithel ap Riryd ap Blethyn whom he kept in prison manie yeares who came home thinking to haue enioied his owne lands Now when Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales heard how that Meredyth ap Blethyn had taken by force the lands of his Nephew Meredyth ap Cadogan he sent his sonnes Cadwalhon and Owen with a power to Merionyth who brought all the countrie to their subiection and caried the cheefe men and the cattell to Lhyyn and afterward the sonnes of Cadogan destroied the land of Lhywarch ap Trahaern because he ioined with the sonnes of the prince About this time there came one Iohannes Cremensis a cardinall from the Pope who after he had gotten many rich gifts and rewards of Bishops and Abbots held a synod at London at the natiuitie of our Ladie where he inueied bitterlie against the mariage of priests declaring how vnseemelie a thing it was to come from his woman to the altar and the same night he was found with a whore in bed with him The yeare 1125. Meredyth ap Blethyn did kill his brothers sonne Ithel ap Riryd And shortlie after Cadwalhon ap Gruffyth ap Conan slew his three vncles Grono Riryd and Meilyr the sonnes Owen ap Edwyn and also Morgan ap Cadogan slew his brother Meredyth with his owne hands About this time died Henrie the Emperour who had maried Mawd king Henries daughter and heire In the yeare 1127. the king sent his daughter to Normandie to be married to Geffrey Plantagenet sonne to the Earle of Aniow and folowed himselfe shortlie after Gruffyth ap Rees was put beside the lands which the king had suffered him quietlie to possesse by the false accusations of the Normanes which dwelled in the countrie with him And then also Daniel Archdeacon of Powys died a man both learned and godlie who trauelled all his time to set peace and concord betwixt his countriemen An. 1128. died Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn and the same yeare Lhewelyn the sonne of Owen ap Cadogan tooke Meredyth ap Lhywarch and deliuered him to Paine fitziohn to be kept safe in the castell of Brugenorth This Meredyth had slaine Meyric his coosen germane and had put out the eies of his two coosen germanes the sonnes of Griffri The yeare ensuing Ieuaf the sonne of Owen put out the eies of two of his brethren and banished them the countrie also Lhewelyn ap Owen slew Iorwerth ap Lhywarch And Meredyth ap Blethyn tooke the same Lhewelyn his nephew puting out his eies gelded him to the end he should get no children that he might haue his lands and slew Ieuaf ap Owen his brother Also Meyric slew Lhywarch and Madoc his sonne his owne coosens who himselfe was so serued shortlie after Then Morgan the sonne of Cadogan repented him greatlie for the murther of his brother Meredyth wherefore he tooke his iournie to Ierusalem and died in his returne at Cyprus In the yeare 1132. Robert Curthoise the kings brother died in the castell of Cardiffe The yeare folowing Cadwalhon sonne to Gruffyth ap Conan was slaine at Nanhewdwy by Eneon the sonne of Owen ap Edwyn his vncle whose three brethren he had slain with Cadogan ap Grono ap Edwyn That yeare also died Meredyth ap Blethyn ap Convyn the greatest lord and cheefest man in Powys as he that had gotten his brethren and nephewes lands by hooke and by crooke into his owne hands In the yeare 1135. died Henrie king of England one of the worthiest and victoriousest princes that euer reigned in the Ile of Brytaine After whome Stephen Earle of Boloigne sonne to the Earle of Bloys his sisters sonne a stout and a hardie knight reigned king of England for by the meanes of Hugh Bygod steward to king Henrie the Archbishop of Canturburie and all the nobilitie of England contrarie to their former oth made to Mawd the Empresse created and crowned him king Then shortlie after Dauid king of Scots wan by treason Carlile and Newcastell against whō Stephen lead an armie to whom Dauid yeelded himself restored Newcastell and kept Carlile by composition but he would not sweare to him for he had sworne alredie to Mawd his nice Yet Henrie his sonne sware to Stephen and had the Earledome of Huntingdon giuen him This yeare Richard and Gilbert his sonne were slaine by Morgan ap Owen And shortlie after Cadwalader and Owen Gwyneth the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Conan in whome remained the hope of all Wales for they were gentle liberall to all men terrible and cruell to their enimies meeke and humble to their freends the succour and defense of widowes fatherlesse and all that were in necessitie and as they passed all other in good and laudable vertues so they were paragons of strength beautie and well proportionat bodies gathered a great power against the Normans and Flemings who entring Cardigan wan destroied and burned the whole countrie with the castell of Walter Espec the castell of Aberystwyth which was verie strong and well manned And thither came Howel ap Meredyth and Rees ap Madoc ap Ednerth who went forward and rased
said Hawys as it séemed vnto him had more right to hir fathers possessions being in hir vncles hands than they to hirs But to make a finall end betwéene them order and composition was taken that Hawys should enioie hir inheritance in fée simple to hir and to hir heires for euer after the tenure of England And that hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Dauid and Gruffyth should hould their portions to them and to their heires male for euer And in default of such issue male the same to descend and remaine to the said Hawys and to hir heires for euer William Lord of Mowthwy otherwise called Wilcocke Mowthwy being the fourth sonne bicause he did not trouble his said néece Hawy about hir inheritance had his lands confirmed and assured in fée simple to him and to his heires generall male or female foreuer He maried Alianor the sister of Elen Owen Glyndowres mother the daughter of Thomas sonne of Lhewelyn sonne of Owen sonne of Meredyth sonne of Owen sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees sonne of Gruffyth sonne of Rees ap Theodor prince of Southwales by whome he had issue Iohn de Mowthwy Iohn the sonne of William Lord of Mowthwy had issue Elizabeth his daughter and sole heire which was maried to Sir Hugh Burgh knight Sir Hugh Burgh knight in the right of his wife lord of Mowthwy had issue Sir Iohn Burgh Sir Iohn Burgh lord of Mowthwy maried Iane the daughter of Sir William Clopton knight lord of the manours of Clopton and Radbrooke in the countie of Glocester and by hir had issue foure daughters Elizabeth Ancreda Isabell and Alianor Elizabeth maried to Thomas Newport father of Iohn father of Thomas father of sir Richard Newport knight late deceased father of Francis and Andrew now liuing Ancreda maried to Iohn Leighton of Stretton father of Sir Thomas Leighton of Watelsborough knight father of Iohn Leighton father of Edward Leighton Esquire eldest sonne and of Sir Thomas Leighton knight second sonne now liuing Isabell maried to Iohn Lingen father of Sir Iohn Lingen knight And Alianor maried to Thomas Mytton father of William Mytton father of Richard Mytton who by partition had amongst the said coheires enioied the said Seigniorie and Lordship of Mowthwy The said Iohn Charleton first of that sirname had issue by the said Hawys Iohn and died An. 1353. Iohn Charleton the second lord Powys held that Seigniorie seuen yeares and then died An. 1360. leauing behind him a sonne and heire called also Iohn Iohn Charleton the third lord Powys succéeded his father and enioied that lordship fouretéene yeares and then died An. 1374. leauing behind him two sons Iohn and Edward Iohn Charleton the fourth lord Powys possessed his fathers inheritance after him 27. yeares and then died without issue An. 1401. Edward Charleton brother and heire to the said Iohn succéeded him in the lordship of Powys and held the same 19. yeares he maried Alianor daughter and one of the heires of of Thomas Earle of Kent being the widow of Roger Mortimer Earle of March and mother to Anne countesse of Cambridge the mother of Richard duke of Yorke and had issue by hir two daughters his heires Iane eldest daughter maried to Sir Iohn Gray knight and Ioyce second daughter maried to Iohn lord Tiptoft by whome she had issue Iohn lord Tiptoft created by king Henrie the sixt Earle of Worcester who died without issue and foure daughters Philip Ioyce Ioane and Margaret the first Philip maried to Thomas lord Ros. The second Ioyce maried to Edmond Dudley sonne and heire to Iohn baron Dudley The third Ioane maried to Sir Edward Inglethorp knight who had issue Isabell maried to Iohn Neuill Marques Montague After the death of the said Alianor this Edward lord Powys maried Elizabeth the daughter of Sir Iohn Barkley knight and died An. 1420. After whose death the lordship of Powys was diuided into thrée parts first the said Elizabeth had for hir dowrie Lhannerch hudol Strat marchelh Deuthwr and Teirtref and maried to hir second husband the Baron of Dudley The said Iane the eldest daughter had for hir part Caereneon Mecham Mochnant and Plâsdinas The third Ioyce the yoonger daughter had Cyuelioc and Arustly Henrie Gray the sonne of Sir Iohn Gray knight and Iane daughter and one of the heires of Edward Chareleton lord Powys was in the right of the said Iane his mother lord Powys he was also by king Henrie the fift created Earle of Tanqueruile and maried Antigone base daughter to Humfrey duke of Glocester fourth sonne to king Henrie the fourth and had issue Richard Humfrey and Elizabeth the wife of Sir Roger Kinaston Richard Gray lord Powys maried Margaret the daughter of Iames lord Audley and by hir had issue Iohn and Elizabeth the wife of Iohn Ludlow sonne of sir Richard Ludlow knight which Iohn and Elizabeth had issue two daughters Anne and Alice Anne the elder maried Thomas Vernon second sonne of Sir Henrie Vernon of Haddon in the Peke of whom Henrie Vernon of Stokesay now liuing is descended Alice the second daughter maried Humfrey Vernon third sonne of the said sir Henrie and brother to the said Thomas of whom Iohn Vernon of Hodnet now liuing is descended Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Iohn Iohn Gray lord Powys had issue Edward Edward Gray lord Powys maried Anne the daughter of Charles Brandon duke of Suffolke and died without lawfull issue The same yeare Cadwalhon ap Madoc ap Ednerth was taken by his brother Eneon Clyd and deliuered to Owen prince of Northwales who sent him to the kings officers to be imprisoned at Winchester from whence he escaped shortlie after and came to his countrie Henrie king of England remained in Normandie all this yeare whose sonne named also Henrie maried Margaret the daughter of Lewys king of France The yeare next folowing died Meyric bishop of Bangor Then king Henrie and the French King fell at variance wherevpon shortlie after King Henrie went to Gascoyne to chastise certeine rebels there But in the yeare 1162. there was a peace concluded betweene the kings of England and France At that time Howel the son of Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodrydh got the castell of Walwern in Cyuelioc and rased it which thing when it was told Owen Prince of Northwales it displeased him wonderfullie at the which he was so greeued that nothing could make him merrie vntill such time as he had gathered his power came to Lhanthinam in Arustly and thence fet great spoiles Then the people of the countrie came all to their Lord Howel ap Ieuaf who folowed the spoile to Seauerne side where the Princes campe was whereof the Prince séeing such an occasion of reuenge offered him was right glad and set vpon his enimies and slew the most part of them and the rest with their Lord escaped to the woods and rocks Then the Prince being ioifull of this reuenge built vp his castell againe and fortified it stronglie The
steward of Ireland and so it was concluded for the kings going to Ireland When the king was in his iournie towards Ireland the Lord Rees came to the king who receiued him to his peace confirmed vnto him all that he had Then Rees promised the king towards his conquest of Ireland 300. horsses and 400. Oxen and gaue him 14. pledges Then the king came to Southwales entring Caerlhêon vpō Vske tooke the towne from the Lord thereof Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc keeping the same to his owne vse Wherefore Iorwerth departed from the king and calling to him his two sonnes Owen and Howel whom he had begotten by Angharat the daughter of Vchtryd bishop of Landaff and his sister sonne Morgan ap Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal gathered a number of men and vpon the kings departure entred the countrie spoiling and burning as they went and tooke the towne of Caerlhêon and destroied it saue the castell which they could not get But the king kept on his iornie to Penbrooke and there he gaue Rees all Caerdigan Stratywy Arustly Eluel Then Rees being at Aberteiui which he had wonne from the Earle of Glocester and fortified of late came from thence to Penbrooke in the calends of October and spake with the king and returned againe the daie after and then chose out of the horsses which he caused to be brought thither for the king 86. and made them to be brought to Penbrooke and presented them to the king who chose out of the same 36. of the best and sent the rest backe againe with great thankes The same daie the king went to Saint Dauid and offering there dined with the bishop Dauid the sonne of Gerald coosen germaine to Rees whither Richard Strangbowe Earle of Strigule came from Ireland to speake with the king and after dinner the king returned to Penbrooke Within a while after the king being at the white house rendered to Rees Howel his sonne who had beene long for pledge with him and then also he gaue him day for the other pledges and for his tribute till his returne from Ireland The next daie being the morrowe after the feast of S. Luke the Euangelist the king tooke shipping there and had faire passage to Ireland and so landed at Dublyne where he laie quietlie that winter The Christmasse folowing Henrie the yong king kept a solemne feast where William S. Iohn procurator of Normandie and William Fitzhamon Seneshall of Brytaine and 110. besides were made knights In the yeare 1172. there fell a great plague among the kings soldiours in Ireland by reason of the change of the aire and victuals and therefore the king returned and landed in Wales in the passion weeke and remained in Penbrooke on Easter daie and the daie folowing and on tuesdaie tooke his iournie towards England Then the lord Rees met with him at Talacharn to doo his dutie The king as he passed from Cardyf by the new castell vpon Vske sent for Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc to come speake with him vnder safe conduct to him his sons and freends meaning to conclude peace with him and so to quiet all VVales Wherevpon Iorwerth tooke his iournie towards the king and sent word to Owen his sonne being a lustie yoong gentleman to meete with him by the waie but as he came at his fathers commandement the Earle of Brystowes men hearing of it came forth of the new castell vpon Vske and laid wait for him by the way being vnder the kings safe conduct trusting to his promise and suddenlie set vpon him and murthered him traitorouslie and cowardlie being vnarmed and hauing but a few in his companie Which thing when his father heard by some of his men that had escaped he was verie sorie and returned home with all his freends and his sonne Howel and would neuer afterwards trust neither the kings promise nor anie Englishmans but forthwith gathered all the power freends that he could make and without mercie destroied all the countrie with fire and sword to the gates of Hereford and Glocester to auenge the death of his son Then the king made the lord Rees chiefe Iustice of all Southwales by commission and tooke his iournie to Normandie In the same yeere died Cadwalader ap Gruffyth ap Conan prince of Northwales who had by his wife Alice the daughter of Richard Clare Earle of Glocester Cunetha Radulph and Richard and by other women he had Caduan Cadwalader Eneon Meredyth goch and Cadwalhon Towards the end of this yeare Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal and Ieuan ap Sitsylt ap Riryd got the castell of Abergevenny vpon the sudden and tooke the kings garrison prisoners and the yeare ensuing was the fairest winter that euer was seene At this time there fell a variance betwixt the two kings of England the father and the sonne and there cleaued to the sonne the Queene his mother and both his brethren Geffrey and Richard and the Earle of Chester and William Patrick with the three sonnes of the Earle of Mellent Camerarius de Tancquervilla Valeran de Hibera Gilbert de Regularijs Simon de Montfort Radulph de la Haie Hugh de S. Maura and the French king with the Earle of Flanders gaue the yoong king aid who tooke Hugh Lacie and Hugh Beauchamp in the castell of Vernoyle yet the elder king was not discouraged who had Almanes and Brabanters to his soldiours Also Rees prince of Southwales sent to him Howel his sonne with a goodlie companie of men to serue him and the king was verie glad sent the lord Rees great thanks King Henrie ouerthrew his enimies diuerse times and tooke Radulph de Fulgerijs and the Earle of Chester prisoners but William Patricke and Haftulph de Hilario escaped Also the Earle of Leycester Hugh de nouo Castello as they began a stirre in England were taken at Burie by the elder kings soldiours and committed to prison In this meane time Iorwerth ap Owen brought his power against Caerlhêon and they of the towne fought with him whome he ouerthrew and tooke manie prisoners of them and wan the towne and laid siege to the castell which was yeelded him forthwith in exchange for his prisoners Then also his sonne Howel brought all Gwentîs Coet the castell onelie excepted to his subiection and tooke pledges of the inhabitants of the countrie Also at this time Dauid ap Owen Gwyneth prince of Northwales made warre against his brother Maelgon which kept the Ile of Môn or Anglesey brought his people ouer Mênai for so that arme of the sea is called which separateth that Ile from the maine land and chasing his brother out of the Ile to Ireland brought all the Ile to his subiection Also he expelled all his brethren and coosens out of Northwales and tooke all their lands to himselfe and taking his brother Maelgon as he came from Ireland kept him in close prison then Conan his brother died In the yeare 1175.
Howel the sonne of Iorwerth ap Owen of Caerlhêon tooke his vncle Owen Pencarn prisoner putting out his eies gelded him least he should beget children which should inherit Caerlhêon and Gwent But God prouided a punishment for him for vpon the saturdaie folowing there came a great armie of Normanes and Englishmen before the towne and wan it with the castell manger Howel and his father who was not priuie to his sonnes lewd deed Also this yeare the elder king came to England then William king of Scots and Roger de Mobbray were taken prisoners at Alnewike by the Barons of the North as they came to destroie England in the quarell of the yoong king therefore the elder king put them in safe keeping with the Earle of Leycester receiuing Hugh Bygod Erle of Northfolke to his peace and so returned to Normandie with a great armie of Welshmen which were sent him from Dauid prince of Northwales to whome the king gaue his sister Emme in mariage then the king sent the Welshmen ouer the riuer of Sene to cut away the victuall which came to his enimies campe wherfore the French king came to a parlee and shortlie they concluded a peace so that all the brethren desired the father forgiuenes Also at this time Dauid prince of Northwales being bold of the kings affinitie did imprison his owne brother Roderike in boltes bicause he desired part of his fathers lands In the yeare folowing both the kings came to England and the Scottish king was set at libertie who became liegeman vnto king Henrie and sware fealtie to him with all the lords of Scotland spirituall and temporall and deliuered the king the towns of Rocksburgh and Berwicke and the castell of Maydens Shortlie after died Reginald Earle of Cornwall base sonne to king Henrie the first and the king seased his lands in England Wales and Normandie to himselfe for Iohn his yoongest sonne saue a small portion which he left to his daughter Also about the same time died Ralph Earle of Kyme and Philip his sonne was created in his steed Shortlie after there died also William Erle of Arundell at Wauerley and was buried at Wyndham whereof he was patrone This yeare also Rees prince of Southwales came to the kings court at Glocester and brought with him such lords of Southwales as had offended the king to doo him homage which pleased the king wōderfullie whose names were these Cadwalhon ap Madoc of Melyenyth Reeses coosen germane Eneon Clyt of Eluel Eneon ap Rees of Werthrynion which two had married two of his daughters Morgan ap Caradoc ap Iestyn of Glamorgan Gruffyth ap Iuor ap Meyric of Senghennyth Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal of higher Gwent which three had maried his sisters and Iorwerth ap Owen of Caerlhêon whom the king receiued all to his peace and restored to Iorwerth ap Owen Caerlhéon againe and so they returned home with great ioy But shortlie after William de Bruse lord of Brechnock desired Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal Geffrey his sonne and a great number of the worshipfullest men of Gwent land to a feast at the castell of Abergeuenny which he had receiued of them by composition and they mistrusting no harme came thither but he like a traitor and murtherer had a great number of armed men within the castell which fell vpon this lord and the rest and without mercie slew them all and forthwith went to Sitsylts house being not farre thence and tooke his wife and slew Cadwalader his sonne before his mothers face and destroied the house and this was a lamentable daie to all the land of Gwent and a lesson for all men to take heed of their enimies This William lord Bruse hauing the Welshmen within his castell of Abergeuenny to séeke a quarell propounded vnto them certaine articles to be by them kept and performed and among other things that none of them should at anie time carie about them in their iournies either bow or sword for the obseruing of the which he would haue had them to be sworne which they refused to doo wherevpon he falling out with them called his men which were readie for that purpose and caused them all thus to be murthered and when that déed was doone to cloake his treason with some reasonable excuse he caused it to be reported abroad that this he did in reuenge of the death of his vncle Henrie de Hereford whom they on Easter euen before had slaine In Northwales Roderike brake his brothers prison and escaping came to Anglesey where all the countrie receiued him for their lord bicause they abhorred the ingratitude of the prince who vnnaturallie disinherited all his brethren coosens vpō boldnes of his brother in law the king This Roderike also was receiued as lord and prince in all the countrie aboue the riuer of Conwey Then prince Dauid fled ouer Conwey and there remained for a time This yere died Cadelh the son of Gruffyth ap Rees and brother to the lord Rees after long sicknesse and was buried honorablie at Stratflur The next yeare died Dauid Fitzgerald bishop of Meneuia and Piers was installed bishop in his place This yeare the lord Rees prince of Southwales made a great feast at Christmas in the castell of Aberteiui which feast he caused to be proclaimed through all Brytaine long before and thither came manie strangers which were honorablie receiued and worthilie intertained so that no man departed discontented And among deeds of armes and other shewes Rees caused all the poetes of Wales which are makers of songs recorders of gentlemens petegrees armes of whome euerie one is intituled by the name of Bardh in Latine Bardus to come thither prouided chaires for them to be set in his hall where they should dispute togither to trie their cunning and gift in their faculties where great rewards rich gifts were appointed for the ouercomers amongst whome they of Northwales wan the price and among the Musicians Reeses owne houshold men were counted best Shortlie after Eneon Clyt and Morgan ap Meredyth were both slaine by treason of the Normanes which inhabited the marshes At this time the lord Rees did build the castell of Rayder Gwy that is to saie The fall of Wye for the riuer Wye falleth there ouer a great and a high rocke At that time the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth made warre against him Then also Cadwalhon brother vnto Owen Gwyneth and vncle to Dauid and Roderike who had fled to the king for succour as he was conueied home by the kings men to enioy his patrimonie was cruellie murthered by the waie and found those whom he hoped to be his helpe and freends to be in deed traitors and butchers And about this time Ione the daughter of king Henrie the elder was married to William king of Sicile This yeare the bones of noble king Arthur and Gwenhouar his wife were found in the Ile of Aualon
to the castell of Lhangadoc and wan it not regarding his promise and league with the sonnes of his brother Gruffyth ap Rees forgetting how worthilie they had serued him in his necessitie Therefore assoone as they heard of this both Rees and Owen came before the said castell wan it by assault slew or tooke prisoners all the garrison and then burned the castell to the earth The yeare 1210. king Iohn made a voiage to Ireland with an armie of great power and wanne the countrie of Conacht and tooke Cathol their prince prisoner In this voiage of King Iohn towards Ireland as he was in his iournie in the borders of Wales there was one taken and brought before him who had killed a préest The officer desired to vnderstand the kings pleasure what he would haue doone to him Let him go saith the king for he hath slaine mine enimie The churchmen of those daies persecuted king Iohn with booke bell and candell and therefore he little regarded the losse of some of them Also he spoiled Hugh de Lacie Lord of Meth of his castels and lands and tooke William de Bruse the yoonger and Mawd de Saint Valerike his mother and brought them both to England with him and caused them cruellie to be famished in the castell of Wyndsor The cause of the kings displeasure taken against this William de Bruse Lord of Brecknock as Matthew Paris reporteth the same was this When the Pope had excommunicated the realme of England The king fearing a further inconuenience tooke pledges of such of his nobles as he suspected would make anie stirre against him sending his messengers to the said William de Bruse demanded his sons for pledges Then Mawd the wife of the said William more malipart than manerlie taking the word out of hir husbands mouth answered roundlie that the king who had shamefullie slaine Arthur his nephue whom he ought rather to haue kept and preserued should haue none of hir children These words being by the messengers signified vnto the king put him in such a heat against the said Lord that he sent certeine souldiours to take him wherevpon he his wife and children were faine to flie into Ireland to saue their liues where the said Mawd and hir sonne were now taken but the father escaped and fled into France where he died afterward as the same author saith This yeare the Earle of Chester reedified the castell of Dyganwy which stood vpon the sea shore East of the riuer Conwy which prince Lhewelyn had before destroied Also he fortified the castell of Treffynnon or S. Wenefride Then prince Lhewelyn entered the Earles land and destroied a great part thereof and returned home with a great spoile Also Rees Vachan sonne to prince Rees fearing prince Lhewelyn who defended his nephues the sonnes of Gruffyth in their right went to the king for succours which he receiued with good will and by their aid he laid siege to the castell of Lhanymdhyfry Now when the garrison sawe no hope of succours they desired that they might depart bag baggage horsses all and so they did Likewise Gwenwynwyn whom the king held in prison was set at libertie and the king fearing the princes power sent an armie with him by whose means he receiued all his countrie againe in short space Maelgon also when he heard the same came to the kings court became the kings man who returning home with a great number of Normanes and Englishmen ioined to them all the power he could make in Wales and contrarie to the oth that he had made to his nephues Rees and Owen began to spoile their countrie and comming to Cantref Penwedic encamped at Cilkennyn and laie there all night consulting vpon his voiage In the meane time his nephues hearing this hauing but a small power not aboue 300. of chosen men came and lodged hard by vnknowing to their enimies And when they vnderstood by their spies that all was in quiet in Maelgons campe and how that his men mistrusting nothing behaued themselues careleslie these two lords prosecuted boldlie the enterprise which they had taken in hand and peaceablie entring the campe did come where they thought Maelgon laie or euer they were espied they gaue alarum and slew a great number before they awoke and the rest hearing the noise halfe amazed by means of the darkenesse escaped awaie thinking some great power had beene there But Maelgons men defended them manfullie vntill such time as their lord had gotten vpon his feete and escaped awaie by benefite of the night Then his nephue Conan ap Howel and his chiefe counseller Gruffyth ap Cadogan were both taken and Eneon ap Caradoc with a great number more slaine About this time Gilbert Earle of Glocester fortified the castell of Buelht where a litle before he had lost manie of his men This yeare also Mawd de Bruse wife to Gruffyth ap Rees died and was buried in a moonks coule in Stratflur by hir husband The next yeare ensuing king Iohn had manie complaints made vnto him by the Marchers vpon prince Lhewelyn how he entring their countrie burned and spoiled all as he went and slew their men Wherfore the king gathered a great armie through all England and called to him such lords and princes of Wales as held of him as Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan ap Owen Gwyneth whom Lhewelyn had banished Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield Chirke and Yale Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sonnes of prince Rees rulers of Southwales With this great armie he entred into Northwales by Chester minding to destroie all that had life within that countrie Then the prince hearing of all this preparation against him aswell of his owne countriemen as others commanded all such as inhabited the Inland or Midle countrie which is now part of Denbigh and Flynt shires to remooue all their goods and cattels to Snowden hils for a time And so the king came along the sea coast to Ruthlan and so passed ouer the riuer Clwyd and came to the castell of Teganwy and there remained a while but Lhewelyn cut off his victuals behind him so that he could haue none from England and there cold not a man scatter from the skirmishes vnfought withall where the Northwales men alwaies both for the aduantage of the straits and knowledge of the places had the vpper hand At the last the English souldiours were glad to taste horsse flesh for pure neede Then when the king saw no remedie he returned home in great rage leauing the countrie full of dead bodies In August next ensuing he returned againe with a great armie and the lords before named with him entred into Wales at Blanch-monasterie now Oswestree whereof Iohn the sonne of William Fitzalan was lord At this time the king passing the riuer of Conwey encamped there by the riuer side and sent
which kept the castell of Aberteiui deliuered the same vnto him vpon S. Stephens daie and the daie after he had the castell of Cilgerran from whence he returned to Northwales with great honor and triumph In the which viage these lords accompanied him to wit Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan Lhewelyn ap Meredyth Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys Meredyth ap Rotpert Maelgon and Rees Vachan the sonnes of prince Rees Rees and Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees and the power of Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor lord of Bromfield The winter after was the fairest winter that euer was seene The yeare folowing the prince went to Aberteiui to make an agreement betwixt Maelgon and Rees Vachan sonnes to prince Rees on the one side and their nephues yoong Rees and his brother Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees on the other side where he diuided Southwales betwixt them after this maner to Maelgon he gaue three Cantrefs in Dyuet Gwarthaf Penlhwynoc Cemaes and Emlyn with the castell of Cilgerran two in Stratywy Hiruryn and Malhaen and Maenor Bydvey with the castell of Lhanymdhyfry and two in Caerdigan Gwynionyth and Mabwyneon to yoong Rees and Owen his brother he gaue the castell of Aberteiui and the castell of Nant yr arian or siluer dale and three Cantrefs in Caerdigan withall And to Rees Vachan otherwise called Rees Gryc the castell of Dyneuowr the Cantref Mawr and the Cantref Bachan except Hiruryn and Mydhuey the Comotes of Cydwely and Carnwylhion This diuision being accomplished the prince returned homeward to whom by the way it was signified that Gwenwynwyn contrarie to his oth and bonds in writing had forsaken him and became againe the kings subiect which greeued the prince verie much and therefore he sent vnto him bishops and Abbots to moue him to remember his oth and promise and his pledges giuen to the prince and to shew him his owne hand and therevpon to see if he would come againe and to promise him the princes fauour but he would in no case heare of reconciliation wherefore the prince entred into Powys with fire and sword and subdued the countrie to himselfe wherevpon Gwenwynwyn fled to the Earle of Chester for succours and there remained for a while At this time Lewys sonne to the French king being called by the Barons of England landed at Tenet who receiuing to his hands all the holdes by the waie came to London and there receiued homage of the Barons and from thence went towards Winchester where king Iohn was and by the waie got the castels of Rygat Guilford and Fernam then comming to Winchester receiued the same with the castell Wherevpon king Iohn fled to Hereford in the Marches of Wales and sent to Reynold Bruse and to prince Lhewelyn desiring freendship but they would not heare him Therefore he destroied the castell of Radnor and Haye and came a long to Oswestree which towne being of the possessions of Iohn Fitzalans he burned to the earth and departed from thence northward leauing power as he went in whose companie were William de Albemarle the Earle of Glocester Philip de Albineto Iohn Marshall Foulke de Breant a noble good soldiour to whom the king gaue in mariage the daughter of the Earle Riuers with the castell of Bedford William Earle of Salisburie the kings brother William Briwer VValter Espec Also he appointed gouernors of the North Hugh Baliol and Philip Halcots He made gouernors of the citie of Yorke Robert de Veipont Geffrey Lucy and Bryan de Lysle Upon the other part Lewys coming from VVinchester tooke the castell of Odyham and came to London with great triumph where Geffrey Maundeuile Earle of Essex was slaine by misfortune running at the tilte And the Lords that mainteined the quarell were these VVilliam Erle VVaren VVilliam Earle of Arundell VVilliam Erle of Salisburie who forsooke the king at the end VVilliam Marshall the yoonger VVilliam de Maundeuile Robert Fitzwater VVilliam Huntingfield all southern men and Robert de Rose Peter de Bruse and Richard Percie northern men And all this while Hubert de Burgh kept the castell of Douer worthilie to the behoofe of the king But as king Iohn was making preparation at Newerke he fell sicke and died and lieth buried at VVorcester After the death of king Iohn Rondle Earle of Chester VVilliam Marshall Erle of Penbrooke William Earle Ferrers Philip de Albineto and Iohn Marshall crowned Henrie his sonne king of England at Glocester In the meane while Lewys besieged the castell of Douer but all in vaine Then returning to London where the citie was deliuered him he proceeded and wan the castels of Hartford and Berkamstede Wherevpon there was a truse concluded betwixt both princes for a while then Lewys returned to France This yeare Howel ap Gruffyth ap Conan died and lieth buried at Conwey The yeare 1217. manie of the nobles of England forsooke Lewys whom they had called in before and contrarie to their oth came to king Henrie as William de Albineto lord of Bealwere besides Notingham who was imprisoned in Corff William Earle Warren VVilliam de Albineto Earle of Arundell William longa Spata Earle of Salisburie William Marshall the yonger and William de Cantilupo Then Lewys shortlie after landed at Douer with a great armie and laid siege to the castell but he could doo no good from thence he went and incamped before the castell of Windsore and when he cold not get it he tooke his iournie to Lincolne whither the armie of king Henrie came against him where a cruell battell was fought wherein Lewys was put to flight a great number of his nobles taken as Saere Quincy Earle of Winchester Henrie de Bohune Earle of Hereford Gilbert de Gaunt Earle of Lincoln Robert Fitzwater Richard Montfytchet Gilbert de Clare William Mowbraye William Beuchamp VVilliam Mandit Aemer Harcourt Roger de Crescy William de Coluile William de Rosse Robert Rippeley and there were slaine Symon de Vescy Hugh de Roch Reynald Crescy constable of Chester Gerald de Furneuale and manie other Also Hubert de Burgh captaine of Douer Henrie de Turberuile and Richard Sward gaue the French nauie whereof Eustace a moonke was captaine an ouerthrow In this meane time Reynald de Bruse did agree with the king vnknowing to prince Lhewelyn and contrarie to his promise Wherefore yoong Rees and Owen his sisters sons seeing that he in whom they trusted most deceiued them rose against him and wanne all Buelht from him sauing the castell But when the Prince heard of this agreement he was sore offended withall and comming with an armie to Brechnock he laid siege to the town of Aberhodny where the burgesses of the towne came to him and by meanes of yoong Rees the Prince taking 100. markes and fiue pledges of them raised his siege and tooke his iournie ouer the blacke mountaines towards Gwyr where he lost much of his cariages And as he camped at Lhangruc
Reynald Bruse came to him with sixe knights in his companie and desired his father in law of pardon for his offense who receiuing him gentlie did not onlie forgiue him but also gaue him the castell of Senghennyth and Reynald committed the same to the custodie of Rees Vachan Lhewelyn after he had set all things in good order in that countrie marched to Dyuet and being at Cefn Cynwarchan the Flemings sent to him to desire peace but the Prince would not grant them their request Then yoong Rees was the first that passed the riuer Cledheu to fight with them of the towne Wherevpon Iorwerth bishop of S. Dauids with all his clergie came to the Prince to desire peace to the Flemings which after long debating was thus concluded First that all the inhabitants of Ros and the land of Penbrooke should become the princes subiects and euer from thencefoorth take him for their liege Lord. Secondarilie that they should paie him a 1000. markes towards his charges before Michaelmas next cōming Thirdlie that for the performance of these they should deliuer forthwith to the Prince twentie pledges of the best in all the countrie which things they did Then the prince after he had brought all VVales to his subiection returned to Northwales with much honour Shortlie after there was a peace concluded betwixt the king and Lewys the French kings sonne Wherevpon the king promising the barons all their requests Lewys returned toward France Then shortlie after VVilliam Marshall Earle of Penbrooke got the towne of Caerlhêon and made warre against the VVelshmen whom contrarie to their promise the barons leaft out of the conclusion of peace The barons were verie glad of the fréendship and aid of the prince of Wales to serue their turne But now in the generall conclusion of the peace contrarie to their oth and promise they reserue out Wales to kéepe them plaie withall hoping to get some more land thereby Therefore let men take héed how they build vpon Turne-seruing Freendship Wherevpon Rees Vachan rased the castell of Senghennyth all the castels he had in his custodie in that countrie and banished all the Englishmen that dwelled there with their wiues and children for euer and diuided the countrie to the Welshmen who haue kept it vnto this daie The yeare ensuing prince Lhewelyn put his garrisons in the castels of Caermardhin and Aberteiui Then yoong Rees by the princes consent went to the king did him homage for his lands At this time William Earle of Arundell Rondell Earle of Chester William Ferrers Earle of Derbie and Bryan Lisle tooke their voiage toward the holie land In the yeare folowing Rees Gryc sonne to prince Rees married the daughter of the Earle of Clare and Iohn de Bruse married Marret the daughter of prince Lhewelyn At that time William Marshall the elder died leauing after him fiue sonnes and fiue daughters which daughters were thus married Mawd to Hugh Bygod Ioane to Warren de Mount Chensey Isabell to Gilbert de Clare Sibill to William Earle of Derbie and Eua to William de Bruse betwixt which fiue all his great inheritance was after diuided for all his sonnes died without issue and were euerie one after another Erles of Penbrooke The yeare 1220. Lhewelyn prince of VVales lead an armie to Penbrooke against the Flemings who contrarie to their oth and league had taken the castell of Aberteiui which castell the Prince wanne and destroied putting the garrison to the sword rased the castell went thence to the land of Gwys where he rased that castell and burned the towne Also he caused all Hauerford to be burned to the castell gates and destroied all Ros and Daugledhau and they which kept the castell sent to him for truse till Maie which was concluded vpon conditions and so he returned home Also this yeare certeine lords of Wales besieged the castell of Buelht which was Reynalds de Bruse Therefore the king came with an armie to the marches and raised the siege and came as far as Mountgomerie and built a new castell there As William de Albineto Earle of Arundell Henrie de Bohune Earle of Hereford and Sayer de Quincie Earle of Winchester were comming home from the holie land they died by the waie The yeare following there fell a great dissention betwixt prince Lhewelyn and Gruffyth his sonne for this Gruffyth enioied the Cantref of Merionyth without his fathers consent and therefore his father sent for him to come vnto him but he would not come therefore the Prince sware that he would be reuenged vpon him and his complices for that dishonor and then came with a great armie to Merionyth but his sonne fearing not the father got his people in the field readie to abide the battell but as they were in fight there was a peace concluded and Gruffyth yeelded to his father and cried him mercie Then Lhewelyn although he forgaue his sonne his offense yet he tooke Merionyth and Ardydwy from him building a castell there returned home againe At this time yoong Rees forsooke prince Lhewelyn bicause Aberteiui was not deliuered him as the promise was at the diuiding of Southwales and went to William Marshall Earle of Penbrooke therefore Lhewelyn came to Aberystwyth and seased the castell and all that territorie to his owne vse Then yoong Rees hearing this went vnto the king to complaine vpon the Prince and the king sent for the prince to Shrewesburie and made him and Rees freends the prince promising to deale with Rees for Aberteiui as he had done with Maelgon for Caermardhin This winter Iohn de Bruse by the consent of prince Lhewelyn fortified the castell of Senghennyth at that time also Isabell the kings mother maried the son of Hugh de Brune Earle of March without making the king priuie thereto William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle about this time made an insurrection in Lincolneshire which was soone appeased then the king seased into his hands certaine honors and castels that diuerse men kept in their possessions without iust cause as Foulke de Breant kept the Earldoms of Northampton Oxford Bedford and Buckingham with the castels and holdes Peter de Malo lacu the castels of Corff and Shirburne with Somersetshire and Dorcestershire and the liberties and forrests Philip de Marke the castels of Peke and Notingham Notinghamshire and Derbyshire Gigelard de Siconia kept Windsore and Odhiam which for the most part the king receiued to his hands Also Hubert de Burgh was created Earle of Kent and chiefe Iustice of England who tooke to wife the king of Scots sister The yeare after yoong Rees sonne to Gruffyth ap Rees departed out of this world being a lustie gentleman and endued with manie notable vertues and was buried at Stratflur whose inheritance Lhewelyn diuided betweene his brother Owen and his vncle Maelgon The yeare after Christes incarnation 1223. William Marshall came from Ireland and landed at S. Dauids with
much warre with the princes of Northwales I thinke it conuenient for the better vnderstanding of this historie to laie downe a briefe Catalog of the descents of the same Earles in order from the conquest to this Iohn Scot which was the last of them HVgh Lupus the sonne of Richard Earle of Auranges Uicount of Abonica and of Margaret the daughter of Harlowine a noble man in Normandie who maried Arlet the daughter of a burgesse in Falois which was also mother to William Conquerour came to England with the said Conquerour and was by him created Erle of Chester and sword-bearer of England with these words Habendum tenendum dictum comitatum Caestriae sibi haeredibus suis ita liberè ad gladium sicut ipse rex totam tenebat Angliam ad coronam that is To haue and to hold the said countie of Chester to him and his heires by right of the sword so fréelie as the king held the realme of England in the right of the crowne Hugh being established in the possession of the Earldome with most large priuiledges and fréedoms ordained vnder him for the better gouernment of the said countie foure Barons to wit The first Nigell or Neal his coosen Baron of Halton Constable and Marshall of Chester by condition of seruice to lead the Uauntgard of the Earles armie when he should make anie iournie into Wales so as the said Baron should be the formost in marching into the enimies countrie and the last in comming backe of him the Lacyes Earles of Lincolne descended The second Piers Malebanke Baron of Nantwich The Third Eustace Baron of Malpas The fourth Warren Vernoun Baron of Shipbrooke This Hugh Lupus conuerted the church of S. Werburgh to an Abbeie and died An 1102. after he had ruled that Earldome fourtie years leauing issue behind him Richard Robert Abbot of Burie and Otuell tutor to the children of king Henrie the first Richard Lupus the sonne of Hugh Lupus being the second Earle of Chester after the Conquest was but seuen yeare old when he was Earle he maried Mawd the daughter of Stephen Earle of Bloys Charters and Champaigne being the sister of king Stephen he with his brother Otuell after he had béen Earle of Chester xvij yeares was drowned at Godwin-sands comming from Normandie with the children of king Henrie the first in the yeare of Christ. 1120. Randulph Meschines alias de Bohun the sonne of Iohn de Bohun and of Margaret the sister of Hugh Lupus succéeded Richard in the Earledome of Chester as coosen next heire of blood to him being the third erle of Chester after the conquest he maried Mawd the daughter of Aubrey de Vere Earle of Gisnes by whom he had issue Randulph surnamed Vernounes bicause he was borne at Vernoune castell and died An. 1130. after that he had béene Earle about eight yeares Randulph Bohun his sonne succéeded his father being the fourth Earle of Chester after the Conquest who maried Alicia the daughter of Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to king Henrie the first by whom he had issue Hugh Cyuelioc so called of that countrie of Powys wherein he was borne and died An. 1158. When he had béene Earle nine and twentie yeares Hugh Bohun alias Keuelock or rather Cyuelioc being the fift Earle of Chester after the Conquest maried Beatrice the daughter of Richard Lucie lord chiefe Iustice of England by whom he had issue Randulph and foure daughters Mawd maried to Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington lord of Galloway Mabill maried to William Daubney Earle of Arundell Agnes maried to William Ferrers Erle of Derby and Hawys maried to Robert Quincy a Baron of great honor who was in hir right after hir brothers death Earle of Lincolne and after him she was maried to sir Warren Bostock This Hugh was Earle of Chester 28. yeares died about the yeare 1182. Randulph Bohun alias Blandeuill so called bicause he was borne in Powys in a towne named Album monasterium succéded his father being the sixt Earle of Chester after the Conquest who was also Earle of Lincolne as coosen and next heire vnto William Romare Earle of Lincolne the second brother of Randulph Meschines the third Earle of Chester after the Conquest He was thrice maried first to Constance the daughter and heire of Conan Erle of Brytaine and Richmond being the widow of Geffrey the third son of king Henrie the second and the mother of Arthur Erle of Brytaine from whom afterward he was diuorsed and then maried a ladie named Clemence daughter to the Earle Ferrers after whose decease he tooke to his third wife Margaret daughter to Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford Essex and Constable of England Nuerthelesse he neuer had issue by anie of those his wiues and therefore the Earledome of Chester and his lands in Northwales after his death descended to Iohn surnamed Scot his sister Mawdes sonne by Dauid Earle of Anguis and Huntington The manour of Barrow with 500. pound lands came to Mabill the Earldome of Lincolne to Hawyse the castell and manour of Chartley and as I thinke his possessions in Powys to Agnes This Randulph atchieued manie enterprises against Lhewelyn prince of Wales but one time méeting with the said Prince and being too weake to encounter with him he was driuen to retire backe to the castell of Ruthlan wherein the said Prince besieged him wherevpon he was faine to send to Roger Lacie Constable of Chester to come to his succors in that extremitie Lacie calling his fréends vnto him requested them to make as manie men as they could and to go with him to deliuer the Earle out of the danger of his enimies at whose request Ralph Dutton his son in law being a lustie youth assembled togither all the plaiers musicians and merie companions within the citie being then the Faire time and came to the Constable who forthwith went to Ruthlan raised the siege and deliuered the Earle from danger In recompense of which seruice the Earle gaue vnto his Constable diuerse fréedoms and priuiledges and granted vnto the said Dutton the ruling and ordering of all the plaiers and musicians within that countie which his heire enioieth euen to this daie This Earle builded the castels of Charteley and Beeston the abbie of Dalacrosse He died about the yeare of Christ 1232. when he had béene Earle 51. yeares Iohn Scot was in the right of Mawd his mother the eldest sister and one of the heires of Randulph Blandeuile the seuenth Earle of Chester he had great warres with Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth prince of Wales but in the end peace being made betwixt them the Earle for further confirmation of the same maried Iane the Princes daughter neuerthelesse he died without issue leauing foure sisters his heires Margaret maried to Alan de Galawey by whom she had a daughter named Derngold the mother of Iohn Baliol king of Scotland Isabel maried to Robert Breux Mawd who died without issue and
Alicia maried to Henrie Hastings to the which sisters the king gaue other lands and tooke the said Earldome into his owne hands Quia noluit tam praeclaram dominationem diuidi inter colos In the yeare 1237. Lhewelyn prince of Wales called all the Lords and Barons of Wales before him to Stratflur and there euerie one of them swore to be faithfull subiects and did homage to Dauid Lhewelyns sonne At this time Lhewelyn prince of Wales being impotent by reason of a palsie which had taken him and sore vexed and disquieted by his sonne Gruffyth sent Ambassadors to the king to signifie vnto him that for as much as his yeares were now welnigh spent he was desirous to lead the rest of his daies in peace and quietnes and therefore purposed now to submit himselfe to the gouernment and protection of the king of England and that he would hold his lands of him promising withall that when soeuer the king should stand in néed of his aid he would be readie to helpe him with men and monie to the vttermost of his power There were sent as mediators in this behalfe the bishops of Hereford Chester who trauelled about the same with the good liking of many of the nobles of Wales although some openlie gainsaid them in no case would accept anie such peace Then the said Dauid tooke from his brother Gruffyth Arustly Ceri Cyuelioc Mowthwy Mochnant and Caereneon and let him onelie enioy the Cantref of Lhyyn This Gruffyth was the elder brother and a lustie gentleman but yet base borne The summer folowing the Earle of Cornwale and William de longa Spata the yoonger tooke their viage towards the holie land Simon de Monteforti fled from France to England to whom the king gaue the Stewardship of England with the Erledome of Leicester This time Dauid sonne to prince Lhewelyn did contrarie to his oth take his brother Gruffyth being in safeconduct with the bishop of Bangor vpon whose promise he was content to speake with his brother and imprisoned him in the castell of Crickieth The yeare after Christs incarnation 1240. Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth the most valiant and noble prince which brought all Wales to his subiection and had so often put his enimies to flight and defended his countrie enlarging the meares thereof further than they had beene manie yeares before passed out of this transitorie life and was honorablie buried at the Abbeie of Conwey after he had gouerned Wales well and worthilie fiftie and sixe yeares This prince left behind him one sonne called Dauid begotten vpon his wife Ione daughter to king Iohn of England by whom also he had a daughter called Gladys maried to six Ralph Mortimer Also he had another sonne called Gruffyth whom his brother wrongfullie kept in close prison as long as he liued as shalbe hereafter declared Dauid ap Lhewelyn Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn When Richard bishop of Bangor sawe that Dauid dealt so hardlie with his brother Gruffyth contrarie to his faithfull promise made vnto the said bishop he excommunicated him and then withdrawing himselfe out of Wales made a gréeuous complaint to the king vpon Dauid most instantlie requesting the king to deliuer Gruffyth out of prison least the rumor of that fact being notified in the court of Rome and other countries out of the realme should be some staine of the kings honor if he should not withstand such outragious and wilfull dealings The king therefore greatlie blaming Dauid his nephue for the abusing of his brother in such sort as he did requested him with most pithie persuasions to set his brother at libertie as well for the sauing of his owne credit and fame as also for the auoiding of the said excommunication and other imminent dangers which might ensue of that matter To the which request of the king Dauid answered plainelie that he would not deliuer his brother out of prison affirming constantlie that if his brother were inlarged the countrie of Wales would be in great disquietnes Whereof when Gruffyth was certified he sendeth priuilie to the king promising that if he would forceablie deliuer him out of his brothers prison he would hold his lands of him and paie him two hundereth markes yearelie offering not onelie to be sworne vpon this and to deliuer pledges for performance thereof but also to aid the king to bring the rest of the Welshmen to his subiection Further Gruffyth Lord of Bromfield did assure the king of aid if he would come to Wales with an armie to chastise Dauid for his falsehood and iniurie vsed towards his brother Moreouer the bishop of Bangor being more desirous to be reuenged vpon Dauid in an other mans matter than carefull to feed his flocke in discharge of his owne dutie sent to Rome and there followed the matter so hard that the Pope excommunicated Dauid which excommunication was denounced accordinglie and his land interdicted Now king Henrie being allured with these promises on Gruffyths behalfe leauied a puisant armie to go into Wales straightlie commanding by his writs all such as ought him seruice in time of warre to giue their attendance vpon him readie with horse and armor at Glocester the first daie of August folowing to set forward against his enimies Whither the king came at the daie appointed and from thence went to Salop and remained there fiftéene daies During the kings abode at Salop diuers noble men were great suters vnto him in the behalfe of Gruffyth as Ralph lord Mortimer of Wigmore Walter Clifford Roger de Monte Alto steward of Chester Maelgon the sonne of Maelgon Meredyth ap Rotpert lord of Cydewen Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield Howel and Meredyth the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth and Gruffyth the sonne of Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys These wrought so with the king that there was a league concluded betwéene him and Senena the wife of the said Gruffyth in the behalfe of hir husband lieng then in his brothers prison according to the articles comprised in this charter folowing Conuenit inter dominum Henricum tertium regem Anglorum illustrem ex vna parte Senenam vxorem Gryffini filij Leolini quondà m principis Northwalliae quem Dauid frater eius tenet carceri mancipatum cum Owino filio suo nomine eiusdem Gryffini ex altera c. Articles of agreement betweene Henrie the third of that name king of England of the one partie and Senena the wife of Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn sometimes Prince of Northwales whom Dauid his brother deteineth in prison with Owen his sonne in the name of the said Gruffyth of the other partie IN primis the said Senena vndertaketh that the said Gruffyth hir husband will giue vnto the king sixe hundreth markes vpon condition that the king doo cause the said Gruffyth and Owen his sonne to be deliuered from the prison wherein they are kept and will stand to the iudgement of the kings court whether
by law he ought to be imprisoned or no. Item the said Gruffyth and his heires will stand to the iudgement of the kings court for and concerning that portion of the inheritance of the said Lhewelyn his father which of right ought to appertaine vnto him Item the said Senena vndertaketh for the said Gruffyth and his heires that the said Gruffyth and his heirs shall yéeld and paie yearelie to the king for the same lands the summe of thrée hundreth markes Whereof the first third part to be paid in monie the second in kine and the third in horses by the estimation of indifferent men and the same to be paid yearelie at Michaelmas and Easter by euen portions by the hands of the Shirife of the countie of Salop for the time being Item the said Senena vndertaketh further for the said Gruffyth and his heires that they and euerie of them shall obserue the peace against the said Dauid and suffer him quietlie to enioy such portion of his fathers inheritance as to him shall be found to be due Item the said Senena doth further vndertake for the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires that in case anie Welshman hereafter shall happen to rebell against the king they at their owne costes and charges shall compell the said offender to make satisfaction to the king for his disobedience Item for the performance of the premisses the said Senena will deliuer vnto the lord the king Dauid and Roderike hir sonnes for pledges with prouiso that if the said Gruffyth and Owen or either of them shall happen to die before their deliuerie out of the said prison it shall be lawfull for the said Senena to haue one of hir sonnes released the other remaining with the king for pledge Item the said Senena hath sworne vpon the holie Euangelist that the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires and euerie of them shall accomplish and performe all the premisses on their behalfe further vndertaketh that the said Gruffyth hir husband vpon his deliuerie out of prison shall take the same oth Item the said Senena in the name of the said Gruffyth hir husband submitteth hir selfe concerning the obseruation of the premisses vnto the iurisdiction of the reuerend fathers the bishops of Hereford and Lichfield so that the said bishops or either of them at the kings request shall compell the said Gruffyth and his heires to obserue all and singular the premisses on their behalfe by sentence of excommunication vpon their persons and interdiction vpon their lands Lastlie the said Senena both vndertake and promise bona fide to sée and procure the full performance of all the premisses and that the said Gruffyth hir husband and his heires shall allow and performe the same and thereof shall deliuer his instrument in writing to the king in forme aforesaid To this charter both parties put their seales Gruffyth and Senena to that part which remained with the king and the king to that part which remained with Senena Moreouer for the sure performance of these articles the said Senena for and in the name of hir husband put in for pledges the aforenamed noble men to wit Ralph Mortimer Walter Clifford Roger de monte alto c. Who bound themselues by their seuerall writings obligatorie to the king in maner and forme following Omnibus hoc scriptum visuris Rogerus de monte alto Senescallus Cestriae Salutem Sciatis quòd ego me constitui plegium c. TO all and singular to whome this writing shall come Roger de monte alto Steward of Chester sendeth greeting Know yee that I haue constituted my selfe pledge for Senena the wife of Gruffyth the sonne of Lhewelyn sometimes prince of Northwales and haue vndertaken for hir to our souereigne lord Henrie king of England that the said Senena shall accomplish and performe all and singular those couenants and articles agreed vpon betweene our said souereigne Lord and the said Senena for and concerning the deliuerance of the said Gruffyth hir husband and Owen his son out of the prison of Dauid his brother the portion of inheritance due vnto the said Gruffyth which the said Dauid keepeth from him by force In witnesse whereof to this present writing I haue put my seale Dated at Salop the mundaie before the feast of the Assumption of the blessed virgin Marie in the 25. yeare of the reigne of the said King The like charters were made by euerie one of the other noble men pledges who bound themselues with the like words Further such of the said lords which fauored Gruffyths cause as were out among themselues were now made fréends as Morgan ap Howel lord of Kery Sir Ralph Mortimer which before were at variance Wherevpon Dauid being driuen to extremities hauing most of the nobilities of Wales against him especiallie Gruffyth ap Madoc lord of Bromfield fauored him not who being a man of great wisedome and power was entirelie loued of the king Againe the sentence of excommunication the interdiction of his land did not a little vexe him But the kings presence with so puisant an armie did so moue his spirits that he could not be quiet till he had sent to the king to desire peace with this submissiō folowing The Charter of the Articles of Dauids submission to the King Omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos praesentes literae peruenerint Dauid filius Leolini salutem Sciatis quòd concessi domino meo Henrico regi Angliae illustri c. TO all Christian people to whome these present letters shall come Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn sendeth gréeting Know yée that I haue granted and promised to deliuer vnto the lord Henrie the noble king of England Gruffyth my brother with his sonne and heire whom I kéepe in prison and all other prisoners who by occasion of the said Gruffyth lie in durance Item I shall stand to the iudgement of the kings court aswell in that case whether the said Gruffyth ought to be detained prisoner or no as also for and concerning the part of the inheritance of the said Lhewelyn my father claimed by the said Gruffyth according to the custome of Wales so that the peace be maintained betwéene me and the said Gruffyth Item I and the said Gruffyth and either of vs shall hold our portions of land of our said soueraigne Lord the king in Capite acknowledging him chiefe lord thereof Item I shall restore vnto Roger de monte alto Steward of Chester his land of Montalt or Mould with the appurtenances Item I shall likewise restore to all other Barons all such lands lordships and castels as were taken from them sithence the beginning of the wars betwéene the lord Iohn king of England and the said Lhewelyn prince of Wales my father sauing the right of all couenants and grants by writing to be reserued vnto the iudgement and determination of the kings court Item I shall giue and restore vnto our souereigne lord the king all his charges
in this present vsage laid out Item I shall make satisfaction for all damages and iniuries doone by me or anie of my subiects vnto the king or his according to the consideration of the kings court and shall deliuer such as shalbe malefactors in that behalfe Item I shall restore vnto the said lord the king all the homages which the late king Iohn his father had which the said lord the king of right ought to haue especiallie of all the noble men of Wales and if the king shall set at libertie anie of his captiues the possessions of that man shall remaine to the king Item the land of Elsiner with the appurtenances shall remaine to the lord the king and his heires for euer Item I shall not receiue or suffer to be receiued within my countrie of Wales anie of the subiects of England outlawed or banished by the said lord the king or his barons of Mercia Item for confirmation and performance of all and singular the premisses on my behalfe I shall prouide by bonds and pledges and by all other waies and meanes as the said lord the king shall award and will accomplish the commandement of the said king and will obeie his lawes In witnesse whereof to this present writing I haue put my seale Dated at Alnet by the riuer of Elwey in the feast of the decollation of S. Iohn Baptist in the 25. yeare of the reigne of the said king For the obseruations of these articles the said prince Dauid and Ednyuet Vachan were sworne Also the said prince Dauid submitted himselfe to the iurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canturburie and of the bishops of London Hereford and Couentrie for the time being That all or one of them whome the king shall appoint may excommunicate him and interdict his land vpon breach of anie the said articles And therevpon he procured the bishops of S. Bangor and S. Asaph to make their charters to the lord the king whereby they granted to execute and denounce all sentences aswell of excommunication as of interdiction sent from the foresaid Archbishop bishops or anie of them The said Dauid also sent priuilie to the king to desire him that he would suffer him being his nephue and the lawfull heire of Lhewelyn his father to enioy the principalitie of Wales rather than Gruffyth which was but a bastard and no kinne vnto the king Giuing him withall to vnderstand that in case he did set Gruffyth at libertie he should be sure to haue the warre renewed Wherevpon the king knowing these things to be true and vnderstanding also that Gruffyth was a valiant stout man and had manie fréends and fauorers of his cause inclined rather to assent vnto Dauids request than otherwise to be in danger of further troubles and therefore willinglie granted the same Shortlie after Dauid sendeth his brother Gruffyth vnto the king and other pledges for himselfe for performance of the said articles which the king sent forthwith to the towre of London there to be safelie kept allowing to Gruffyth a noble a daie for his finding And within few daies after Michaelmas prince Dauid came to the kings court and did his homage and swore fealtie who for so dooing in that he was the kings nephue was sent home againe in peace When Gruffyth saw how althings went that he was not like to be set at libertie he began to deuise waies and meanes to escape out of prison Wherefore deceiuing the watch one night he made a long line of hangings couerings and shéetes and hauing gotten out at a window let downe himselfe by the same from the toppe of the towre but by reason that he was a mightie personage and full of flesh the line brake with the weight of his bodie and so falling downe headlong of a great height his necke and head was driuen into his bodie with the fall whose miserable carcase being found the morowe after was a pitifull sight to the beholders The king being certified thereof commanded Gruffyths sonne to be better looked vnto and punished the officers for their negligence Then the king fortified the castell of Dyserth in Flyntshire Also the king gaue to Gruffyth sonne to Gwenwynwyn lord of Powys his inheritance and to the sonnes of Conan ap Owen Gwyneth their lands in Merionyth Then shortlie after Gilbert Marshall Earle of Penbrooke was slaine by misfortune fighting at the Turnay at Hereford The bishop of Bangor came to the court to sue for the deliuerance of Gruffyth sonne to prince Lhewelyn but the king knowing him to be a man of great courage would in no wise grant him libertie The yeare after king Henrie went to France with an armie to succour Hugh de Brune his father in lawe meaning also to recouer some of that which his father had lost but all in vaine for the people fauoured the French king therfore hauing lost a great number of his men amongst whom was Gilbert de Clare he returned home againe Maelgon Vachan about this time fortified the castel of Garthgrugyn Iohn de Mynoc also fortified the castell of Buelht Roger Mortimer the castell of Melyenyth The summer folowing the king began to trouble the Welshmen verie sore and to take their lands by force without iust title or rightfull cause This yeare died Hugh de Albineto Earle of Arundell whose inheritance was diuided betwixt his foure sisters Whereof Isabel the eldest had maried Iohn Fitzalan lord of Oswalstree and Clun whose sonne named also Iohn Fitzalan was in the right of the said Isabel his mother created Earle of the Earledome of Arundell in the which house it remained to our time Within a while after Rees Mechylh sonne to Rees Gryc of Southwales died This yeare prince Dauid sent to Rome to complaine to the Pope how the king of England compelled him vniustlie to hold his lands of him Therefore the Pope sent to the abbots of Aberconwy and Cymer a commission to enquire of this matter After the death of Gruffyth king Henrie in the 29. yeare of his reigne as appeareth by the records in the towre intituled his eldest sonne Edward to the principalitie of Wales which thing when Dauid vnderstood he put himselfe in armour to defend his inheritance and right and knowing himselfe not able to withstand the kings force he sent to Rome with great gifts to the Pope complaining as is here mentioned and declaring withall that Lhewelyn his father had least him and the principalitie of Wales vnder the protection of the church of Rome His sute therefore to the Pope was that he would accept of the same and that Dauid and his heires might hold it of the church of Rome yéelding and paieng yearelie out of the same the summe of fiue hundreth markes for paiment of which summe he bound himselfe and his successours by solemne oth and writing executed accordinglie Which offer Pope Innocentius ex super abundanti gratia accepted Quia ecclesia Romana nunquam claudit gremium talia
and after his death she was maried to Richard Earle of Cornwal and king of the Romanes 4 Sibylla the fourth daughter was maried to VVilliam Ferrers Earle of Ferrers and Derby 5 Eua the fift daughter was maried to VVilliam Bruse lord Bruse of Gower Likewise manie nobles died without issue male at this time as the Earle of Arundell the Earle of Chester the Earle of Essex the Earle of Huntington and diuerse others In the beginning of the yeare 1246. Dauid prince of VVales after he had gotten the loue of his subiects and atchieued manie notable victories passed out of this life and was buried at Conwey by his father after he had ruled Wales fiue yeares leauing no issue of his bodie to the great discomfort of the land Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth Lhewelyn and Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Lhewelyn The Prince of Northwales was the superiour Prince of all Wales to whom the other princes of Southwales and Powys did paie a certeine tribute yearelie as appeareth by the lawes of Howel Dha and in diuers places of this historie and was the right heire of Cadwalader as is euident by all writers whose line of the heire male from Roderi Mawr endeth in this Dauid the sonne of Lhewelyn the sonne of Iorwerth the sonne of Owen Gwyneth the sonne of Gruffyth the sonne of Conan the sonne of Iago the sonne of Edwal the sonne of Meyric the sonne of Edwal Voel the sonne of Anarawd the sonne of Roderi Mawr the sonne of Esylht the daughter and sole heire of Conan Tindaythwy the sonne of Roderike Molwynoc the sonne of Edwal Ywrch the son of Cadwalader the last king of the Brytaines Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth Prince of Northwales father to Dauid married two wiues whereof the first was Ione the daughter of king Iohn by whom he had issue Dauid and Gladys His second wife was Eua the daughter of Foulke de Breant by whom he had no issue Dauid succeeded his father in the principalitie of Wales and died without issue after whose decease the right of the inheritance descended and fell to his sister of the whole blood Gladys the wife of Ralph lord Mortimer of Wigmor who had issue Roger Mortimer of whom mention is made in this place Peter Iohn a Frier preacher and Hugh lord of Chilmersh Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor and by right of inheritance Prince of Wales married Mawd de Bruse daughter of William de Bruse lord of Brechnocke by whom he had issue Edmond Roger lord of Chirkeland VVilliam and Geffrey and two daughters Margaret maried to the son of the Earle of Oxenford and Isabel maried to Iohn Fitzalen Earle of Arundell This Roger died An. 1282. and was buried in the abbie of VVigmor Edmond Mortimer lord of VVigmor maried Margaret Fendles and had issue Roger Iohn slaine in a Turnie at VVorcester Edmond Hugh and VValter and two daughters Mawd married to Theobald lord Verdon of whom the Earle of Sherewsburie and the Earle of Essex are descended and Ione who died without issue He lieth buried in the said abbie at VVigmor Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor married Ione the daughter and heire of Sir Peter Geniuill and had issue Edmond Mortimer lord of Wigmor Sir Roger Mortimer and Geffrey lord of Cowich called in stories Comes Iubinensis and seauen daughters Catharine married to Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke Ione married to Iames lord Audely Agnes countesse of Penbrooke Margaret married to Thomas lord Berkeley Mawd married to Iohn Charleton lord Powys Blanch married to Sir Peter Graunson knight and Beatrice married to Edward sonne heire of Thomas Brotherton Earle Marshall and after his death to Thomas de Bruse This Roger Mortimer escaped out of the Towre and fled into France and afterward returned againe with Quéene Isabel the wife of king Edward the second and Edward the prince hir sonne by whom after the putting downe of the said king he was created Earle of March and was afterward attainted Edmond Mortimer lord of Wigmor married Elianor late widow of William de Bohune Earle of Northampton one of the daughters and heires of Bartholomew Badelsmer lord of Leedes in Kent and by hir had issue Roger and Iohn who died without issue He died in the castell of Ludlowe and lieth buried in the said abbie of Wigmor Roger Mortimer lord of Wigmor was by king Edward the third An. Regni sui 29. restored to the Earledome of March and all his grandfathers inheritance honors and possessions the said attaindour being repealed and made void He had issue by Philippa his wife the daughter of VVilliam Mountague Earle of Sarum Edmond Earle of March and died at Roueraie in Burgundie the 26. of Februarie Anno. 1359. whose bones were afterward translated to the abbie of VVigmor Edmond Mortimer Earle of March and lord of Wigmor maried Philippa the daughter sole heire of Leonell duke of Clarence in whose right he was Earle of Vlster he had issue Roger and Edmond that was taken by Owen Glyndoure and two daughters Elizabeth married to Sir Henrie Percy knight sonne and heire to Henrie Percy Earle of Northumberland Philippa maried first to Iohn Hastings Erle of Penbrooke and after his death to Richard Earle of Arundel and last to Iohn lord S. Iohn He died in the citie of Corke in Ireland An. 1381. and lieth buried in the said abbie of Wigmor Roger Mortimer Earle of March and Vlster lord of Wigmor Trym Clare and Conaght maried Elianor the eldest daughter and one of the heires of Thomas Holand Earle of Kent by whom he had issue Roger and Edmond who both died without issue and two daughters Anne maried to Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge and Elianor Countesse of Deuon who died without issue The said Richard and Anne had issue Richard duke of Yorke and Isabel maried to Henrie Bourchier Earle of Essex of whom the Earle of Essex now liuing is descended Richard Plantagenet duke of Yorke maried Cicilie the daughter of Ralph Neuill Earle of Westmerland and had issue Edward the fourth king of England Edmond Erle of Rutland George duke of Clarence Richard duke of Glocester afterward king of England by the name of Richard the third and thrée daughters Margaret maried to Charles duke of Burgundie Elizabeth maried to Iohn de lapoole duke of Suffolke and Anne maried to Henrie Holand duke of Excester and after to Sir Thomas Saintleger knight Edward the fourth king of England maried Elizabeth the daughter and one of the heires of Richard Wooduile Earle Riuers and had issue king Edward the fift who died without issue and Elizabeth maried to king Henrie the seuenth and mother to king Henrie the eight of famous memorie father to the QVEENES Maiestie that now is who by lineall descent is the right inheritrice of the Principalitie of Wales By these Petegrées it is euident that the title which Owen Glyndoure pretended to the principalitie of Wales was altogither friuolous for he was not descended of the house
30000. markes and the king granted the prince a Charter to receiue from thenceforth homage and fealtie of all the nobilitie and Barons of Wales sauing one so that all the foresaid Barons should euer after hold of the prince as their liege lord and he to be called and written from thenceforth prince of Wales And in witnesse of this the king put his seale and hand to the said Charter which was likewise confirmed by the authoritie of the Pope The yeare after this died Grono ap Ednyuet Vachan a noble man and chiefe of the princes councell In the yeare 1270. died Gruffyth lord of Bromfield and was buried at Vale Crucis Here endeth the Brytish copie That which foloweth vnto the death of this Prince was collected by Humfrey Lhoyd Gentleman AT this place leaueth the Brytish booke and writeth no further of the end of this prince but leaueth him at the highest and most honorable staie that anie prince of Wales was in of manie yeares before the writer peraduenture being abashed or rather ashamed to declare the vtter fall and ruine of his countrie men wherevnto their owne pride and discord did bring them as it doth euidentlie appeare to him that searcheth out their histories But I intending to finish the historie during the gouernment of the Brytaines haue sought out in other Chronicles written in the Latine toong speciallie in the Chronicle of Nicholas Triuet who wrote from the beginning of the reigne of king Stephen to the coronation of Edward the second and such other asmuch as I could find touching this matter The yeare 1270. Iohn Earle Waren slew Alan Le Souch lord chiefe Iustice in Westminster hall The yeare folowing Edward with his brother Edmund went to the holie land where at Acon he was in danger to be slaine by a villaine vnder the colour of deliuering of a letter who gaue him fiue wounds with a knife And the yeare 1272. died Henrie king of England and Edward his sonne comming from the holie land two yeares after was crowned at Westminster king of England to which coronation the prince of Wales refused to come although he was sent for laieng for his excuse that he had offended manie noble men of England and therefore would not come in their daunger without he had for pledges the kings brother with the Earle of Glocester and Robert Burnell cheefe Iustice of England wherewith the king was sore offended but he dissembled his displeasure for that time King Edward could neuer brooke prince Lhewelyn sithence the time that he was driuen to slight by him at their méeting in the marches whereof mention is made before page 321. On the other side Lhewelyn liked no better of the king than the king did of him Againe those noble men which for their disobedience were disinherited by Lhewelyn were receiued and intertained of king Edward which things caused the Prince to feare some euill practice by those and other such as hated him if he should haue béen at the kings coronation to doo his homage and fealtie according to the writ directed vnto him in that behalfe as appeareth by an instrument sent by the said Prince to Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canturburie the Archibishop of Yorke and other bishops sitting then at their conuocation in the new Temple at London Anno. 1275. Wherein the causes of this warre are contained which instrument it selfe as it was then sent is extant at this daie written in parchment with the Princes great seale therevnto appendant which I haue séene and copied out of the originall verbatim being then in the custodie of Thomas Yale doctor of lawe of late Deane of the arches a great searcher and preseruer of the antiquities of Wales which I thought conuenient here to laie downe for the fuller vnderstanding of this historie Reuerendissimis in Christo patribus ac D.D. Roberto Dei gratia Archiepiscopo Cantuar. totius Angliae Primati Archiepiscopo Eborum ac eorum Suffraganeis c. TO the most reuerend fathers in Christ and Lords Robert by the grace of God Archbishop of Canturburie primate of England and the Archbishop of Yorke and their Suffraganes being now togither at London in councell their deuout sonne Lhewelyn Prince of Wales and lord of Snoudon greeting with due obedience reuerence and honor in all things Be it knowen to your reuerend Fatherhoods that where heretofore contention and discord wherof warre followed and long continued arose betwixt the king of noble memorie Henrie king of England of the one partie and vs of the other partie the same contentions and strife were at the last appeased by authoritie of the sea Apostolike and means of the reuerend father lord Otobonus Deacon and Cardinall of S. Adrian Legate into England as it appeareth in the forme of treatie and peace betwixt the said king and Edward his first begotten son lord Edward now king of England and their successors on the one partie and vs and our successors on the other partie by the corporall othes of both parties assured Which forme of peace was committed to writing by the said Legate with the seale of the said king and the seale of the said lord Edward now king and with our seale also In the which peace it is conteined amongst other things which you doo well know as we beleeue that we and our successors should hold of the king and his successors the principalitie of Wales So that all Welsh Barons should hold their Baronies and lands of vs and our successors in Capite and should doo homage and fealtie to vs and to our heires one Baron excepted for the which we and our successors should doo homage and fealtie to the lord the king and his successors It is further conteined in the same peace that neither the said king nor his successors should receiue anie of our enimies nor anie running awaie from vs or our successors nor should helpe or maintaine anie such against vs or our successors The which all are conteined in the forme of peace the tenor whereof the reuerend Fathers of Strata Florida and Aberconwey bearers hereof can shew you But see reuerend Fathers the lord Edward now noble king of England after the said peace taketh into his hands certeine Barons lands of Wales of which they and their ancestors haue beene long possessed and keepeth a Baronie in his hands which should be ours by the forme of peace other Barons of our land being from vs fugitiues running to him he keepeth helpeth and mainteineth as Dauid ap Gruffyth and Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn who purposed our death and destruction Notwithstanding that since their departure they haue robbed within our land committed slaughter and burning of houses and doo still dailie commit the like against the peace aforesaid although we haue often sent our greefes complaints by our solemne messengers to the said noble lord Edward as well before he was king as since yet vnto this daie he neuer did anie redresse therein
charges in this warre The yeare folowing the mariage was celebrated at VVorcester betwixt Elianor daughter to Symon Montfort and prince Lhewelyn where the King the Queene and the most part of the nobilitie of England were present Also the yeare after Roger Mortimer set vp at Killingworth a round table for a hundreth knights to be exercised in the feats of armes and thither resorted manie knights from diuerse countries At this time the king of Scots did his homage to king Edward and obtained the kings letters that his succors in the last warres of VVales were not done by the name of seruice but of good will And at this time a generall inquisition was made how and by what title euerie man held his lands and liberties and the first that was called was the Earle VVaren who drawing out an old sword said By this warrant mine ancestours wanne their lands and by this I doo and will hold mine And all the Barons applied to this answere and the Quo warranto was no more talked of The peace concluded betwéene the prince of Wales and the king of England did not long continue by reason of the seuere and stricte dealing of such officers as the king appointed rulers in the Marches and the Inland countrie of Wales who hunting after their owne gaines oppressed the inhabitants burthening them with new exactions contrarie to the customes of the countrie and also shewing themselues too much affectionate in matters of controuersie betwéene partie and partie especiallie when anie Englishman had to doo in the matter which poling and parcialitie did altogither alienate the harts of the people from the king of England so that they had rather die than liue in such thraldome Wherevpon assembling themselues togither they so moued Dauid lord of Denbigh to be at vnitie with prince Lhewelyn and to take pitie vpon their affliction and miserie that he being agréed with his brother became their captaine Not long after Dauid lord of Denbigh being reconciled to his brother the Prince vpon condition he should neuer after serue the king of England as he had done before but become his vtter enimie laid siege to the castell of Hawarden and tooke Roger Clifford a noble knight slaieng all that resisted and after spoiling all the countrie he with his brother the Prince laid siege to the castell of Ruthlan the king hearing of this hasted thither with a great armie to raise the siege then the Prince retired backe with his armie Also the same time Rees the sonne of Maelgon and Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Owen with other noble men of Southwales tooke the castell of Aberystwyth and diuerse other castels in that countrie spoiling all the kings people that inhabited there abouts Therefore the king sent the Archbishop of Canturburie to talke with the Prince and his brethren which returned without doing anie good and by the kings commandement denounced them and all their complices accursed This Archibishop here mentioned was Iohn Peckham who was sent from king Edward to prince Lhewelyn as this author thinketh but he himselfe affirmeth that he tooke that enterprise in hand of his owne motion contrarie or beside the kings mind to the which assertion of his Nicholas Triuet and Thomas Walsingham séeme to agrée His whole dooings in this matter are to be found in the records of Canturburie the copie of the which records being collected and for the most part translated out of Latine into English by Doctor Thomas Yale chanceller to that worthie prelate of reuerend memorie Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canturburie whose carefull search painfull trauell and chargeable setting out of the antiquities of this land euerie man that loueth his countrie cannot choose but commend and thankefullie accept and take in good part I thought necessarie here to set downe for the laieng open of the truth to the view of all men which heretofore was either maliciouslie concealed or negligentlie omitted by all the writers of this historie Articles sent from the Archbishop of Canturburie to be intimated to Lhewelyn Prince of VVales and the people of the same countrie BIcause we came to those parts for the spirituall and temporall health of them whom we haue euer loued well as diuers of them haue knowne 2. That we come contrarie to the will of our Lord the king whom our said comming as it is said dooth much offend 3 That we desire and beséech them for the bloud of our lord Iesus Christ that they would come to an vnitie with the English people and to the peace of our lord the king which we intend to procure them so well as we can 4 We will them to vnderstand that we cannot long tarrie in these quarters 5 We would they considered that after our parting out of the countrie they shall not perhaps find anie that will so tender the preferring of their cause as we would doo if it pleased God with our mortall life we might procure them an honest stable and firme peace 6 That if they doo contemne our petition labour we intend foorthwith to signifie their stubbernes to the high bishop and the court of Rome for the enormitie that manie waies hapneth by occasion of this discord this daie 7 Let them know that vnlesse they doo quickelie agrée to a peace that warre shall be aggrauated against them which they shall not be able to sustaine for the kings power increaseth dailie 8 Let them vnderstand that the realme of England is vnder the speciall protection of the sea of Rome that the sea of Rome loueth it better than anie other kingdome 9 That the said sea of Rome will not in anie wise sée the state of the realme of England quaile being vnder speciall protection 10 That we much lament to heare that the Welshmen be more cruell then Saracens for Saracens when they take christians they kéepe them to be redéemed for monie But they saie that the Welshmen by and by doo kill all that they take and are onelie delighted with blood and sometime cause to be killed them whose ransome they haue receiued 11 That whereas they were euer woont to be estéemed and to reuerence God Ecclesiasticall persons they séeme much to reuolt from that deuotion moouing sedition and warre and committing slaughter and burning in the holie time Which is great iniurie to God wherein no man can excuse them 12 We desire that as true christians they would repent for they cannot long continue their begun discord if they had sworne it 13 We will that they signifie vnto vs how they will or can amend the trouble of the kings peace and the hurt of the common wealth 14 That they signifie vnto vs how peace and concord may be established for in vaine were it to forme peace to be dailie violated 15 If they saie that their lawes or couenants be not obserued that they doo signifie vnto vs which those be 16 That granting it that they were iniured as they saie
learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in embassages to forreine Princes and now he had the gouernement of the kings onelie daughter ladie Marie Princesse of Wales Of all the Bishops in the land he was counted the courtlikest and the best Courtier and although he was well reported of for his learning yet was he better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of his church for of xxij lordships and manours which his predecessors had and least vnto him of a goodlie yearelie reuenue he leaft but thrée and them also leased out And where he found fouretéene houses well furnished he leaft onlie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities by meanes whereof that bishopricke which sometimes was counted one of the best is now become in temporall lands one of the meanest and a place scarse leaft for the Bishop to laie and rest his head in yet neuerthelesse he was a great fauorer of learned men and speciallie of diuines whom he preferred in his church aboue all others He was verie bounteous and liberall vnto all men but speciallie vnto courtiers vnto his owne kindred and countrimen Upon many he bestowed vnto the confusion of some of them and vpon other he spent much by building of a towne named Sutton Colshull where he was borne which he procured to be incorporated and made a market towne and set vp therein making of kersies but all in the end came to small effect ELIZABETH Rowland Lee bishop of Couentrie and Lichfield was in the 26. yéere of king Henrie the eight sent to be Lord President of the kings maiesties Counsell in the marches of Wales in whose time the principalitie and countrie of Wales was by Parlement incorporated and vnited vnto the kingdome of England and all the inhabitants thereof made equall in fréedomes liberties rights priuileges lawes and in all other respects to the naturall subiects of England and all inheritances were made of English tenure to descend without diuision or partition after the maner of England Also the lawes statutes and ordinances of the realme of England were commanded to be executed and put in practise within the contrie and principalitie of Wales and none other And to the end the said lawes should be dulie put in execution the whole dominion of Wales togither with the lordships marchers bordering vpon the same was diuided into xiij shires or counties wherefore xij made foure circuits to the which circuits there were seuerall Iudges appointed who should administer iustice to the inhabitants of euerie of the said shires twise in the yéere The first circuit was the thrée shires of Eastwales Denbygh Flynt and Mountgomrie wherin the Iustice of Chester kéepeth sessions twise in the yéere hearing and deciding all titles trespasses variance and misdemeanours within the countrie The Iustice of Northwales doth the like in the thrée shires of Northwales Anglesey Caernaruon and Meryonyth which doo make the second circuit The third circuit are the thrée shires of Westwales Caerdigan Caermardhyn and Penbrooke where the Iustice of that countrie kéepeth his sessions euerie yéere twise The thrée shires of Southwales Radnor Brechnocke and Glamorgan doo make the fourth circuit in the which the Iustice of Southwales dooth kéepe sises twise euerie yéere And bicause all matters as well of lawe as of equitie are heard and determined in these circuits the same doo continue sixe daies in euerie of the shires aforenamed Monmouthshire dooth followe the common order of the shires of England suing all originall writs out of the high court of chancerie In all these shires there were appointed Shirifes Iustices of peace Crowners and all other officers accordinglie as they are in England Further for the kéeping of the countrie in continuall obedience and the controlling of the outrage of wilfull and vnrulie persons there was ordeined a President and counsell to remaine within the dominion and Principalitie of Wales with all officers appertaining to the same Which President and councell haue power and authoritie to heare and determine by their wisdomes and discretions such causes and matters as are assigned to them by the Kings or Quéens of England for the time being And certeinlie let men imagine what they will this house was it that after great hatred and persecution whereof disobedience and rudenes folowed reduced the countrie of Wales to quietnesse obedience and ciuilitie by authoritie whereof not onelie great outrages are appeased the offendors punished and the wilfull brideled but also the quiet and obedient subiect is protected and defended from iniurie so that he may possesse his owne in quietnesse Wherein this Bishop Rowland Lee and his associats did notable good seruice And surelie there haue béene of the same house verie wise gouernors and men of great credit namelie Nicholas Heath Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelor of England Thomas Yoong Archbishop also of Yorke Iohn Whitgift now Archbishop of Canturburie and diuers other of whom I am to speake héereafter In the 29. yéere of king Henrie the eight prince Edward his sonne was borne at Hampton court on S. Edwards euen being the 12. of October who bicause the principalitie of Wales was now by statute as I said before incorporated to the crowne and kingdome of England being vnder the same lawes and iurisdiction was none otherwise Prince of Wales than vnder the generall title of England as the king his father was king of England and vnder that name K. of Wales as a member of England neither doo I read of anie other creation or inuestiture that he had to that principalitie therefore I thought it not conuenient to make any speciall title of him after the said statute He afterward succéeded his father in the crowne of this realme by the name of king Edward the sixt The said Rowland Lee died L. President in the xxxiiij yéere of King Henrie the eight and lieth buried at Shrewesburie After him Richard Sampson bishop of Chichester was remooued to Couentrie and Lichfield and appointed Lord President of Wales in the xxxv yéere of king Henrie the eight and so continued L. President vntill the end of the 2. yéere of the reigne of king Edward the sixt Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike and knight of the noble order of the garter was in the third yéere of King Edward the sixt appointed Lord President of Wales in the which office he continued vntill the fourth yéere of the same king He descended out of Wales by a daughter of the Lord Powys for he was the sonne of Edmund the sonne of Iohn a yoonger sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Lord Dudley the son of Iohn Lord Dudley the sonne of Iohn Sutton Baron Dudley who maried Isabell the daughter of sir Iohn Charlton
of Salope 155. he is slaine 156. Hugh Earle of Chester winneth Mehenyth 197. Hugh Lacy 151. I. IAgo ap Edwal 59.62 Iago ap Edwal 87. Iestyn ap Gurgant lord of Glamorgan 119. Ieuaf ap Edwal 59.60.70 Igmond commeth to Anglisey 41. Iohn king of England made Knight goeth to Ireland returneth againe 240. lost Normandie Aniow Mayne and Poytiers 258. goeth to Ireland 261. goeth to Wales 264. and againe 265. maketh his kingdome tributarie to the Pope 270. he destroieth the Marches of Wales 275. he dieth 276. Iohn le Fleming 125. his heires 136. Iohn de Cremona a Cardinal 186. Iohn Scot Earle of Chester 288.293 Iohn of Monmouth 290.310 Iohn Peckam Archbishop of Canturburie 338. Iohn Uoisye bishop of Excester 393. Iohn Sutton alias Dudley Earle of Warwike 397. Iohn Williams L. Williams of Thame 399. Ionaual the son of Meyric 67. Iorwerth Drwyndwn 227. Iorwerth ap Blethyn 157.158 condemned and cast into prison 160. set at libertie 167. slaine cruellie 170. Iorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc lord of Caerlheon vpon Usc 230. wan Caerlheon again 234. obtained the kings fauour 236. Ioseph of Aremathia 12. Ithel K. of Gwent 29. Iuor the sonne of Alan 7. Iuor the sonne of Ednerth ap Cadogoan 154. K. KEntwine K. of Westsex 8. Kenulph K. of Wests 16. he destroieth Wales 25. L. LHanbadarn destroied by the Danes 71. Lhanvaes 293. Loegria Lhoeger 1. Lhechryd 117. Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht 83.84 Lhewelyn ap Iorwerth 245. taketh his vncle Dauid prisoner 250. calleth a parlement 257. marieth Ione the daughter of King Iohn 259. maketh peace with K. Iohn 265. released by the Pope of his oth of allegeance to the K. of England commanded to war against him 267. he winneth Ruthlan and Dyganwy 270. excommunicated by the Pope 271. he winneth Shrewesburie ibidem goeth with an armie to Southwales 273. also to Brechnocke 277. leadeth an armie to Penbrooke 279. cōmeth to the K. at Shrewesburie 281. destroieth all the marches to Southwales 287. entreth into England 288. commeth with an armie to Brechnocke ibid. taketh the towne of Salop againe 291. concludeth peace with K. Henrie the third 292. calleth all the Lords and Barons of Wales togither 297. he dieth 298. Lhewelyn ap Gruffyth chosen Prince of Wales 314. diuided the principalitie betwene him and his brother Owen ibidem entred the Earle of Chestersland 321. causeth the Earle to retire ibid. destroieth the Erldom of Chester 326. maketh peace with the K. 326. refuseth to come to K. Edwards coronation 328. excuseth himselfe to the Archbishops 329. maketh peace with K. Edward 334. he is maried 336. his answer to the Archbishop of Canturburie 340. his answer to the kings offer 366. he is slaine 374. Lhywarch ap Owen 69. Lhywarch ap Trahaern 164.169.171 Lhyyn destroied 65. Locusts destroie Ireland 42. Lumbards whence they came 39. M. MAdoc ap Riryd 164.166.172 Madoc ap Meredyth ap Blethyn 210. Madoc ap Owen Gwyneth 227. Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor 255.293 Madoc coosen to Prince Lhewelyn 380. discomfiteth Edmund the kings brother and H. Lacie Earle of Lincolne ibid. taken and sent to prison 381. Maelgon Gwyneth 2. Maelgon ap Rées 242. escapeth out of prison 243. winneth the castel of Strat meyric ibid. his vnconstancie 266. dieth 286. Maelgon the son of Maelgon 287.289.290.308.315.380 Magedawc 16. Manaw D 14.5 Marie princesse of walles 393. Mathraual D 6. 11.267 Mawd the empresse cōmeth to England 195. she dieth 240. Meneuia D 18. destroied 114. spoiled 154. the see made subiect to the see of Canturburie 160. spoiled 289. Merdhin or Merlin 4. Meredyth ap Owen 69.71 he dieth 73. Meredyth ap Owen ap Edwyn prince of Southwales 103. he is slaine 110. Meredyth ap Blethyn 157.158 taken by his brother Iorwerth and sent to the kings prison 159. he escapeth out of prison 162. Meredyth ap Gruffyth ap Rees lord of Caerdigan and Stratywy 204. Meriadoc 2. Merionyth D 9. Meruyn Urych 22.24 he is slaine 28. Meyric the son of Arthpoel 85. Miles Fitzwater Earle of Hereford 148. Moon D 6.7 destroied 29.65.69.71 Monkes and Freers lately receiued in Wales 253. Mooren of cattell in Wales 69. Morgan of Glamorgan 380.382 Morganwc D 19. ¶ See Glamorgan Mont Paladour 5. Montgomerie 152.280 Murcasteth 173. N. NIcholas Heath bishop of worcester 397. Normans whence they came 39. Tithed and put to death 92. they destroie Dyuet 110. Northwales described D 6. descended thrée times to a woman D 13. O. OFfa K. of Mercia 18. his ditch 19 D 5. he draue the welshmen beyond the ditch ibid. Oswestrie castell built 201. the towne burnt 288. Owen ap Iorwerth traitorouslie slaine 232 Owen ap Meredyth lord of Cydewen 325. Owen Tuver 390.391 Owen the son of Howel Dha 58. Owen the sonne of Dyfnwal 71. Oliuer De S. Iohn 125. his heires 136. Owen ap Edwyn 155. he dieth 160. Owen ap Cadogan taketh awaie Geralds wife 163. flieth to Ireland 165. pardoned and called home againe 170. submitteth himself to K. H. 1.174 he goeth with the King to Normandie and is made knight 175. he is slaine 182. Owen Gwyneth 188.193 he burneth Caermardhyn 193. taketh the castell of Moulde 199. builded a castell at yal 201. wanne the castell of Basingwerke 223. maketh war vpon Owen Cyuelioc 224. wanne the castell of Ruthlan and all Tegengl ibid. he dieth 225. Owen ap Gruffyth 314.334 P. PAganus de Turberuile 125 his issue and heires 132. Parlement when it first began 182. Penant Bachwy 173. Penbrooke D 18. the castell built 154. the same castell built againe 163. Peter le Soore 125. his heires 135. Polydor Uirgil reprehended D 23. Poole taken by the Archbishop of Canturburie 248. the castell ouerthrowen 288. Powys D 11.35 the partition of it 211. Priests forbidden to marrie 162. Prophesies causes of much hurt 5. Pwlhgwitie 113. Q. Quo Warránto 336. R. RAdnor destroied 71. Rees ap Owen ap Edwyn 111. he obtaineth the rule of Southwales 112. he is slaine 113. Rees ap Theodor Prince of Southwales 113. he ioyneth with Gruffyth ap Conan 114. ouerthrew and put to flight the children of Blethyn ap Convyn 117. ouercōmeth his enimies at Lhandydoch 119. he is slaine ibid. Rees ap Gruffyth called the lord Rees 204. maketh peace with the King 208. laieth siege to Caermardhin 210. did his homage to the King 220. maketh warre vpon the Earle of Clare ibid. wanne the castell of Aberteiui and Cilgerran 223. came with a power to Powys 230. came to the K. at Penbrooke 231. commeth to the court 235. his feast 237. he wanne the castels of S. Clere Abercorran and Lhanstephan 242. likewise the castell of Dineuowr Lhanhayaden 243. taken prisoner by his sons 244. he taketh Caermarthin Ciun Radnor the castell of Payne in Eluel 247. he dieth 249. Rees ap Meredyth knight 378 Reginald de Sully 125. his heires 135. Reginald Graylord of Ruthyn 377. Richard de Granuile or greenféeld 125. his issue 131. Richard de Syward 125. his heires
Swydhynogen and Pennwelht Cantref Buelht hath these Swydhyvam Dreulys and Isyrwon Of this part there is at this daie some in Mountgomerie shire some in Radnorshire and some in Brechnockeshire In this part and in the lordships marching to it which although at the time of this diuision which was in the time of the last prince were not in his subiection yet to this daie speake Welsh and are called Wales and in these comots are these townes and castels Mountgomerie called in Welsh Treualdwyn a pretie towne and a faire castell The castell of Clunn called Colunwy which is the Earles of Arundell The towne of Knighton in Welsh Trefyclawd The castell of Cymaron Presteyn in Welsh Lhanandras The towne and castell of Radnor in Welsh Maesyuet at this daie the shire towne The towne of Kyngton and the castell of Huntingdon called in Welsh Y castelh Mayn which were the Bohunes Earles of Hereford and after the dukes of Buckingham Castell Payne Haye Lhanuair in Buelht These lordships with Brechnock and Abergeuennie were belonging to the Bruses lords of Brechnock and after came diuers times and by sundrie meanes to the Bohunes Neuels and Mortimers And so as I haue rehearsed in this territorie or kingdome were found 14. Cantreds and 40. comots Two of these parts which are Powys and Gwyneth are at this daie called Northwales and diuided into sixe shires Môn called Anglesey Caernaruon Merionyth Denbigh Flynt and Mountgomerie shire and are all on the Northside Seauerne sauing a peece of Mountgomerie shire And here I thinke it good to let the reader vnderstand what the Brytish chronicle saith of Northwales which affirmeth that three times it came by inheritance to women First to Stradwen daughter to Caduan ap Conan ap Endaf and wife to Coel Godeboc mother to Cenaw Dyvyr and Gwawl The second time to the same Gwawl wife to Edeyrn ap Padarn and mother to Cunetha Wledic which Cunetha inhabiting in the North parts of England about the yeare 540. after the incarnation of Christ and hearing how the mingled nations of Irish Scots and Pictes had ouer runne the sea shore of Caerdigan which was part of his inheritance sent his sonnes thither to enioie their inheritance of the which Tibiaon his eldest sonne died in Man which land the said Irish Scots had wonne For Gildas saith that of the children of Glam Hector which peopled a great part of Ireland Yscroeth with his people inhabited Dalrienda which is a part of Scotland Builke with his people came to Man But I thinke it good to put in Gildas words which saith Builke cum filijs suis inhabitauit Euboniam insulam vulgò Manaw quae est in meditullio maris inter Hyberniam Brytaniam that is to saie Builke with his children inhabited the Ile Eubonia commonlie Manaw for so it was and is named in Brytish which lieth in the middle of the sea betweene Ireland and Brytaine This was not called Môna as Polydor faineth The children of Bethoun inhabited Demetia which is Southwales with Gwyr and Cydweli till they were chased thence by the children of Cunetha Thus farre Gildas Therefore the sonnes of Cunetha being arriued in Northwales as well I thinke being driuen by the Saxons as for their inheritance diuided the countrie betwixt them And first Meireaon the sonne of Tibiaon the sonne of Cunetha had Cantref Meireaon to his part Arustel ap Cunetha had Cantref Arustly Caredic ap Cunetha had Caerdigion now Caerdigan shire Dunod had Cantref Dunodic Edeyrn had Edeyrnion Mael had Dynmael Coel had Coleyon Doguael had Dogueilyn Ryvaon had Ryuonioc now Denbighland Eneon Yrch had Caereneon in Powys Vssa had Maesvswalht now Oswestree For surelie that they saie commonlie of Oswald king of Northumberland to be slaine there and of the Well that sproong where his arme was caried is nothing so For Beda and all other writers testifie that Peanda slew Oswald at Maserfelt in the kingdome of Northumberland and his bodie was buried in the abbey of Bardney in the prouince of Lhyndesey But to my former matter These names giuen by the sonnes of Cunetha remaine to this daie After this the Irish Picts or Scots which the Brytains called YGwydhyl Phictiaid which is to saie The Irish Pictes did ouerrunne the Ile of Môn and were driuen thence by Caswalhon Lhawhîr that is Caswalhon with the long hand the sonne of Eneon Yrch ap Cunedha who slew Serigi their king with his owne hands at Lhany Gwydhyl which is the Irish church at Holihead This Caswalhon was father to Maelgon Gwyneth whom the Latines call Maglocunus Prince and king of Brytaine In his time was the famous clerke and great wiseman Taliessyn Ben Beirdh that is to saie the cheefest of the Beirdh or wisemen for this word Bardh in Caesars time signified as Lucan beareth witnes such as had knowledge of things to come and so it signifieth at this daie This Maelgon had a sonne called Run in whose time the Saxons inuited Gurmond into Brytaine from Ireland who had come thither from Affrike who with the Saxons was the vtter destruction of the Brytaines and slew all that professed Christ and was the first that droue them ouer Seauerne This Run was father to Beli who was father to Iago for so the Brytaines call Iames who was father to Caduan and not Brochwel called Brecyual as the English chronicle saith for this Brochwel Ysgithroc that is long toothed was chosen leader of such as met with Adelred alias Ethelbertus Rex Cantiae and other Angles and Saxons whom Augustine had mooued to make warre against the christian Brytaines and these put Brochwel twise to flight not farre from Chester and cruellie slew a 1000. preests and monkes of Bangor with a great number of laie bretheren of the same house which liued by the labour of their hands and were come barefooted and woolward to craue mercie and peace at the Saxons hands And heere you shall vnderstand that this was not Augustine bishop of Hippona the great clarke but Augustine the moonke called the apostle of England Then this Brochwel retired ouer Dee hard by Bangor and defended the Saxons the passage till Caduan king of Northwales Meredyth king of Southwales and Bledrus or Bletius Prince of Cornewall came to succour him and gaue the Saxons a sore battell and slew of them the number of a 1066. and put the rest to flight After the which battell Caduan was chosen king of Brytaine was cheefe ruler within the Ile after whom his son Cadwalhon who was father to Cadwalader the last of the Brytish blood that bare the name of king of Brytaine was king The third time that Northwales came to a woman was to Esylht the daughter of Conan Tindaythwy the sonne of Edwal Ywrch the sonne of Cadwalader She was wife to Meruyn Vrych and mother to Roderike the great as shalbe hereafter declared By this you may vnderstand that Northwales hath beene a great while the cheefest seate of the last
Lordship IN primis the said Lordship in length from Rymny bridge on the east side to Pwlh Conan on the west side is 27. miles The breadth thereof from the hauen of Aburthaw alias Aberdaon on the southside to the confines of Brechnock shire aboue Morleys castell is 22. miles Item the same Lordship being a Lordship Marcher or a Lordship roiall and holden of no other Lordship the Lords euer sithence the winning of the same owing their obedience onelie to the crowne haue vsed therein Iura regalia that is the triall of all actions as well reall as personall with plées of the crowne and authoritie to pardon all offenses treason onelie excepted Item there were xj Lordships to wit Senghennyth Myskyn Ruthin Lhanblethian Tir Iarlh Glyn Rothney Auan Neth Coyty Talauan and Lhantuit alias Bouiarton that were members of the said Lordship of Glamorgan In euerie of the members were the like Iura regalia vsed in all things sauing that if anie wrong iudgement were giuen in anie of the courts of the said members it should be reuersed by a writ of false iudgement in the countie court of Glamorgan as superiour court to the same members Also all matters of conscience happening in debate in anie of the said members should be heard and determined in the chancerie of Glamorgan before the Chancellor thereof Item the bodie of the said Lordship of Glamorgan was before the alteration of the lawes in Wales a countie of it selfe wherein the Lord had two castels and thrée market townes to wit the castell and towne of Kynfigs alias Kefnffigen in the west part thereof and Cowbridge towne alias Pont vaen in the middest And the towne and castell of Cardyff or Caer-Dhydh in the east part in which castell of Cardyff the Lord did most inhabit and therein he had his Chancerie and Exchequer and a faire court house wherein the Countie court was monthlie kept on the mondaie for all the suters of the Sherffée that is of the bodie of the said Lordship it selfe without the said members Item within the said Sherffée or bodie of the said Lordship were 18. castels and 36. knights fées and an halfe that held of the said Lordship of Glamorgan by knights seruice besides a great number of fréeholders Item in eight of the said members were ten castels and foure borough townes Item the annuall reuenewes of the said Lordship with the members was one thousand markes whereof was allowed in fées 400. markes of the which members aforesaid maister Iohn Gamage Esquier occupieth one at this daie descended vnto him from the Turberuiles his ancestors that is to wit the Lordship of Coytie and the heire of Iohn Basset enioieth an other to wit the Lordship of Talauan by purchase from king Edward the sixt The other nine members with foure of the foresaid knights fées all the castels market townes and borough townes with the demeanes of the same and all the lands that were in the Lords hands parcell of the said Lordship and members the Earle of Penbroke hath purchased So that there remaineth now to the segniorie of the said Lordship of Glamorgan being in the Quéenes Maiesties hands but the moitie onelie of the manour of Dynaspowys of the value of xxvj pounds by the yeare The maner of the winning of the said Lordship IN the yeare of our Lord 1091. and in the fourth yeare of the reigne of King William Rufus one Iestyn the sonne of Gungant being Lord of the said Lordship of Glamorgan Rees ap Theodoc Prince of Southwales that is of Caermarthyne shire and Caerdigan shire made warre vpon him Wherevpon the said Iestyn vnderstanding himselfe vnable to withstand the said Rees without some aid otherwise sent one Eneon a Gentleman of his to England to one Robertus Fitzhamon a worthie man and knight of the priuie chamber with the said King to retaine him for his succor The which Robert being desirous to exercise himselfe in the feates of warre agréed soone with him thereto for a salarie to him granted for the same Wherevpon the said Robert Fitzhamon retained to his seruice for the said iorney twelue knights and a competent number of soldiours and went into Wales and ioining there with the power of the said Iestyn fought with the said Rees ap Tewdor and killed him and one Conan his sonne After which victorie the said Robert Fitzhamon minding to returne home againe with his companie demanded his salarie to him due of the said Iestyn according to the couenants and promises agréed vpon betwéene him and the aforesaid Eneon on the behalfe of the said Iestyn his maister The which to performe in all points the said Iestyn denied and therevpon they fell out so that it came to be tried by battell And forsomuch as the said Eneon sawe his maister go from diuers articles and promises that he had willed him to conclude with the said Robert Fitzhamon on his behalfe he forsooke his maister and tooke part he his fréends with the said Robert Fitzhamon In the which conflict the said Iestyn with a great number of his men were slaine whereby the said Robert Fitzhamon wan the peaceable possession of the whole Lordship of Glamorgan with the members of the which he gaue certaine castels and manours in reward of seruice to the said twelue knights and to other his Gentlemen ¶ The Names and Sirnames of the said twelue Knights were these 1 WIlliam de Londres alias London 2 Richardus de Grana villa alias Greenfeeld 3 Paganus de Turberuile 4 Robertus de S. Quintino alias S. Quintine 5 Richardus de Syward 6 Gilbertus de Humfreuile 7 Rogerus de Berkrolles 8 Reginaldus de Sully 9 Peter le Soore 10 Iohannes le Fleming 11 Oliuerus de S. Iohn a yoonger brother of the Lord S. Iohn of Basing 12 William le Esterling whose ancestors came out of Danske to England with the Danes and is now by shortnesse of spèech called Stradling ¶ The parcels giuen by the said Robert Fitzhamon to the said twelue Knights and others in reward of seruice IN primis to the said William de Londres the said Robert Fitzhamon gaue the castell and manour of Ogmor being foure knights fées now parcell of the possessions of the dutchie of Lancaster Item to the forenamed sir Richard Greenfeeld he gaue the castell and lordship of Neth being one of the members aforesaid and now parcell of the possessions of the Kight honorable the Earle of Penbroke Item to sir Paine Turberuile he gaue the castell and lordship of Coyty being another of the said members and now parcell of the possessions of M. Iohn Gamage esquire Item to sir Robert S. Quintine he gaue the castell and lordship of Lhan Blethyan being another of the said members and now parcell of the possessions of S. William Herbert of Swansey knight Item to sir Richard Syward he gaue the castell and lordship of Talauan being another of the said members and now parcell
lordship to the Lord Spencer then Lord of Glamorgan and went into Somersetshire to dwell there where his issue male continueth yet ¶ Gilbert de Humfreuile his Petegree SIr Gilbert Humfreuile aforesaid to whome the castell and manour of Penmarke was giuen and his issue male enioied the same till the said king Edward the thirds time and then the inheritance of the said castell and manour descended to sir Iohn S. Iohn of Fonmon knight to whome the forenamed lord S. Iohn of Bledso is sole heire ¶ Roger de Berkerolles knight his Petegree SIr Roger Berkerolles afore said knight to whom the manour of East Orchard was giuen and his issue male enioied the same till the 13. yeare of Henrie the fourth That sir Laurence Berkerolles knight died whom sir Edward Stradling knight as sole heire did succéed being sonne to sir William Stradling knight sonne to sir Edward Stradling knight and Wenlhian sole sister and heire to the said sir Laurence of whom Edward Stradling knight that now is is lineallie descended ¶ Reginald de Sully knight his Petegree SIr Reginald de Sully to whome the castell and manour of Sully was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill about king Edward the first his time And then it fell to a daughter married to sir Morgan de Avan Lord of the lordship of Avan aboue named whose sonne sir Iohn de Avan had but one daughter of whome sir George Blunt of Shropshire is lineallie descended as sole heire whose ancestor gaue the said lordship of Avan and the castell and manour of Sully to the Lord Spencer in exchange for other lands in England ¶ Peter le Soore knight his Petegree SIr Peter le Soore knight to whome was giuen the castell and manour of Peters towne and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the fourth his time and then died without issue and his inheritance fell betwéene diuers ¶ Iohn le Fleming knight his Petegree SIr Iohn le Fleming knight to whome the castell and manour of S. George was giuen and his issue male enioied the same vntill king Henrie the fourth his time and then it fell to Edmond Malefant who had married a daughter to the last Fleming And in king Henrie the seuenth his time the Malefants issue by Flemings daughter failed and then it fell to Iohn Butler of Dunreeven aboue named Esquier and after the death of him and of Arnold his sonne both the inheritances of Fleming Butler fell to Walter Vaghan of Brodeward in the Countie of Hereford Esquier now liuing sisters sonne to the said Arnold Butler ¶ Oliuer de S. Iohn knight his Petegree SIr Oliuer S. Iohn knight to whome the castell and manour of Fonmon was giuen and his heires male haue euer since enioied the same to whom the aboue named lord S. Iohn of Bledso that now is is sole heire whose ancestors from the winning of the said lordship of Glamorgan out of the Welshmens hands haue continuallie dwelt at Fonmon aforsaid vntill the latter time of king Edward the fourth That Iohn S. Iohn esquier had the said lordship of Bledso and manie other possessions besides by the death of dame Margaret Beauchampe his mother who was also mother to Margaret Duchesse of Somerset mother to king Henrie the seuenth Sithence which time the said Iohn S. Iohn and sir Iohn S. Iohn knight father to my Lord that now is haue alwaies dwelt in Bledso but they doo kéepe their lands in Wales still in their hands ¶ VVilliam le Esterling alias Stradling his Petegree SIr William Esterling knight to whome the castell and manour of S. Donats was giuen Sir Iohn le Esterling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Moris le Esterling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Robert le Esterling knight most commonlie called Stradling by shortnesse of speach and change of some letters succéeded him Sir Gilbert Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir William Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him Sir Iohn Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him It doth not appeare in what stocke or sirname anie of these seuen knights aboue named did marrie but the christian names of the wiues of William the first Robert and Iohn the second were Hawisia Mathilda and Cicilia Sir Peter Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him who in the begining of king Edward the first his time and reigne married Iulian sole daughter and heire of Thomas Hawey By whom he had thrée manours Hawey Comhawey in Somersetshire yet remaining to his heires and Compton Hawey in Dorcetshire sold of late yeares Sir Edward Stradling knight their son succéeded them and he quartered the Hawey his armes with his and married with Elianor daughter heire to Gilbert Strangbow a yoonger brother whose wife was daughter and heire to Richard Garnon and had by hir two manours in Oxefordshire Sir Edward Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him married with Wenlhian daughter to Roger Berkrolles knight and sole sister and heire to sir Laurence Berkrolles knight as it happened afterward Sir William Stradling knight his sonne married with Isabel daughter and heire to Iohn S. Barbe of Somersetshire but he had no lands by hir for it was entailed to the heires male This sir William in king Richard the seconds time went a pilgrimage to Ierusalem and receiued there also the orders of knighthood of the sepulchre of Christ. Sir Edward Stradling knight his sonne succéeded him who bicause he was sole heire generall to the said S. Barbe did quarter S. Barbes armes with his To whome also in the 13. yeare of king Henrie the fourth fell the whole inheritance of the Berkerolles and the right of the fourth part of Turberuiles inheritance Lord of Coyty aforesaid the which for lacke of issue male of the said Berkerolles remained to Gamage and to his heires male by the especiall entaile aforesaid The which sir Edward did quarter not onelie the said Berkerolles armes with his but also the Turberuiles and Iestynes armes of whome the Turberuiles had in marriage one of the inheritours as is before said bicause the said sir Edward was one of the foure heires generall to sir Richard Turberuile to wit sonne to sir William Stradling sonne to Wenlhian sister and heire to the said Laurence Berkerolles and daughter to Catharine eldest sister and one of the foure heires generall to the aforesaid sir Richard Turberuile The said sir Edward maried with Iane daughter to Henry Beauford afterwards Cardinall begotten before he was Priest vpon Alice one of the daughters of Richard Earle of Arundell and in the beginning of king Henrie the seuenth his reigne he went likewise on pilgrimage vnto Ierusalem as his father did and receiued the order of the sepulchre there This sir Edward had to his brother sir Iohn Stradling knight who married with the heire of Dauncy in Wiltshire and had issue sir Edmond who had issue Iohn and Edmond Iohn had issue Anne ladie Davers of whome the Davers Hungerfordes Fynes and Leuet and a great progenie
Gruffyth and Owen This Gruffyth ap Madoc tooke part with king Henrie the third and Edward the first against the prince of Northwales and therefore for feare of the prince he was faine to lie for his owne safegard in his said castell of Dînas brân which standeth on the toppe of a verie stéepe hill to the which there is no waie but one to come He died his children being within age wherevpon shortlie after ensued the destruction of two of them for the said king Ed. 1. gaue the wardship of Madoc who had for his part the lordships of Bromfield and Yale and the said castell of Dînas brân which the reuersion of Maelor Saesnec after his mothers decease who had the same to hir iointer to Iohn Earle Warren and granted the wardship of Lhewelyn to whose part the lordships of Chirke and Nanhevdwy came to Roger Mortimer third sonne to Roger Mortimer the sonne of Ralph Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmor These guardians forgetting the seruice doone by the father of the wardes to the king so garded their wardes with so small regard that they neuer returned to their possessions And shortlie after the said guardians did obtaine the same lands to themselues by charters of the king This Iohn Earle Warren began to build the Holt castell and William his son finished the same The lordship of Bromfield and Yale continued in the name of the Earle Warren thrée descents Iohn William and Iohn that died without issue and then the said lordship togither with the said Erldome of Warren descended to Alice daughter of the said William Erle Warren and sister and heire of the said last Iohn Earle Warren which Alice maried Edmond Fitzalan Erle of Arundell in the which house of Fitzalanes it remained thrée descents after the said Edmond and Alice to wit to Richard Earle of Arundell and to Richard Earle of Arundell his sonne and to Thomas Earle of Arundell sonne of the said last Richard And then for want of issue of the said Thomas Earle of Arundell and Warren the said lordship fell to two of his sisters whereof one named Elizabeth was maried to Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke the other named Ioane was maried to William Beauchamp lord of Abergauenny whose part afterwards came by a daughter to the Neuil lord of Abergauenny and sithence it came to the hands of Sir William Stanley knight by whose attaindor it escheated to the crowne and so remaineth parcell of hir maiesties possessions at this daie Roger Mortimer Iustice of Northwales builded the castell of Chirke and maried Lucia the daughter and heire of Sir Robert de Wafre knight by whom he had issue Roger Mortimer who maried Ioane Turberuile and had issue Iohn Mortimer lord of Chirke This Iohn sold the lordship of Chirke to Richard Fitzalan Earle of Arundell sonne to the said Edmond and so it was annexed againe to Bromfield and Yale The third sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân named also Gruffyth had for his part Glyndowrdwy which Gruffyth ap Gruffyth was father of Madoc Crupl father of Madoc Vachan father of Gruffyth father of Gruffyth Vachan father of Owen Glyndowr who rebelled in the time of king Henrie the fourth by whose attaindor that part also came to the kings hands which was purchased of the king by Robert Salisburie of Rug of whome Salisburie the lord of Glyndowrdwy that now is descended Owen the fourth sonne of Gruffyth lord of Dînas brân had for his part Cynlhaeth which at this daie togither with the lordship of Chirke land is parcell of the possessions of the right honorable the Earle of Leycester The other part of Powys containing the countries of Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol Caereneon Mochnant vwch Rayader Mechain vwch Coed Mouthwy Deuthwr Strat Marchelh and Teirtref or the thrée townes rightfullie descended to Gruffyth ap Meredyth ap Blethyn before mentioned who was by King Henrie the first created Lord Powys he married Gweyryl or Weyryl the daughter of Vrgene ap Howel ap Ieuaf ap Cadogan ap Athlestan Glodryth and by hir had issue Owen surnamed Cyuelioc Owen Cyuelioc enioied his whole inheritance as his father did and married Wenlhian the daughter of Owen Gwyneth Prince of Northwales by whom he had issue Gwenwynwyn or Wenwynwyn after whose name that part of Powys was afterward called Powys Wenwynwyn He had also a bastard brother called Caswalhon to whom he gaue the territories called Swydh Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in the whole segniorie sauing Lhannerch Hudol and Braniarth which were giuen to his base brother Caswalhon Maelrhy during his life time onelie Which Gwenwynwyn married Margaret daughter to Rees ap Theodor Prince of Southwales and by hir had issue Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn Gruffyth ap Gwenwynwyn succéeded his father in all his possessions and had issue sixe sonnes among whom his inheritance was diuided as foloweth Owen the eldest sonne had for his part Arustly Cyuelioc Lhannerch hudol and the moitie of Caereneon Lhewelyn the second sonne had Mochnant vwch Rayader and Mechain vwch Coed Iohn the third sonne had the fourth part of Caereneon William the fourth sonne had Mouthwy Gruffyth Vachan the fift sonne had Deuthwr Strat marchelh and Teirtref Dauid the sixt sonne had the other fourth part of Caereneon Owen ap Gruffyth had issue one onelie daughter his heire named Hawys Gadarn that is Hawys the hardie against whom hir vncles Lhewelyn Iohn Gruffyth Vachan and Dauid arose challenging the lands of their brother Owen and affirming that a woman was not capable of lands in that countrie Wherevpon Hawys made such fréends in England that the matter being opened vnto King Edward the second the said King bestowed hir in marriage vpon a seruant of his named Iohn Charleton termed Valectus Domini Regis borne in Appley a little off from Welinton 1268. in the countie of Salop whom he made Lord Powys in hir right This Iohn Charleton Lord Powys being aided by the king tooke thrée of his wiues vncles to wit Lhewelyn Dauid and Iohn whom he laid vp fast in the kings castell of Hardlech and obteined a writ from the King of the Shirife of the countie of Salop and Sir Roger Mortimer Lord of Chirkland and iustice of Northwales for the apprehension of Gruffyth Vachan with Sir Roger Chamber and Hugh Mountgomerie his two sonnes in lawe which then were in armour against the said Charleton and Hawys Wherevpon the said Gruffyth Vachan and his brethren hauing then lost their greatest staie which was Thomas Earle of Lancaster submitted themselues to the kings order touching all matters in variance betwéene them and their néece who finding by records that Gruffyth ap Meredyth auncestor to the said Hawys vpon his submission to King Henrie the first became subiect to the King of England and therevpon was by the said King created Baron of Powys which Baronie he and his heires held afterward of the king in Capite as other Barons of England did And therefore the
part of his armie with guides of the countrie to burne Bangor who did so taking Rotpert the bishop prisoner who was afterward ransomed for 200. hawkes Then the prince seeing all England and Wales against him a great part of his land won from him thought it best to entreat with the king And thervpon he sent Ione his wife the kings daughter to hir father to make a peace who being a discreet woman found the meanes that vpon pledges giuen for safe conduct the prince came to the king and made peace with him and did him homage Then giuing him pledges he promised vnto him towards his charges 20000. heads of cattell and fortie horsses Moreouer he granted to the king the Inland for euer wherevpon the king returned to England with great triumph after that he had brought all Wales vnder his subiection sauing Rees Owen the sonnes of Gruffyth ap Rees Therfore at his departure he gaue straite commandement to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff called Warden of the Marches a cruell tyrant but yet wel loued of the king to take an armie with him that he ioining with Maelgon and Rees Vachan might compell the aforesaid sonnes of Gruffyth to obeie him This Foulke or Falcasius de Breant a Norman borne and a bastard being a cruell and a wicked man was called by king Iohn to his aid against the Barons who vsed himselfe cruellie towards them for which cause she said king gaue him in mariage Margaret de Riparijs an inheritrice of great possessions This Foulke calling vnto him Maelgon and Rees came to the Cantref of Penwedic then the yoong lords seing no remedie sent to him for peace and safeconduct to passe to the court which he granted them When they came to the court vpon their submission to the king with the gift of all their lands betwixt Aeron and Dyui they were receiued of him very gentlie and curteouslie intreated and after they had doone him homage they returned home againe Then Foulke before his departure out of the countrie fortified the castell of Aberystwyth and manned it to the kings behoofe But within a while Maelgon as he was verie vnconstant and Rees Vachan repented them of the peace they had made with the king and therevpon laid siege to the castell of Aberystwyth getting the same destroied it When their nephues Rees and Owen sawe that their vncles had broken the kings peace they made a roade vnto Maelgons countrie and slew a great number of his men and returned with a rich bootie The next yeare prince Lhewelyn being not able to abide the displeasures which the garrisons that the king left in his nephues castels in Northwales did to his people called to him Gwenwynwyn from Powys Maelgon ap Rees from Southwales Madoc ap Gruffyth Maylor from Bromfield Meredyth ap Rotpert from Cydewen and opened to them this miserable case how they which were woont to haue a prince of their owne nation now by their owne wilfulnesse were brought in subiection to a stranger and declared also vnto them how that if they would agree among themselues they might defend their ancient estate still which thing they all promised to do swore fealtie to prince Lhewelyn forthwith gathered an armie wan all the castels sauing Ruthlan Dyganwy then comming to Powys they laid siege to the castell which Robert Vepont had made at Mathraual But when the king was informed of all this he leuied an armie and came thither to raise the siege and after caused the castell to be rased then returned home hauing greater matters in hand betweene him his nobles Then being at Notingham hering how the prince of Wales destroied all the Marches he caused the pledges which he had receiued the last yere to be hanged as Howel the son of Cadwalhon Madoc the sonne of Maelgon and others to the number of 28. striplings Also Robert Vepont did hang at Shrewesburie Rees the sonne of Maelgon not being yet seuen yeares of age and so cruellie murthered the innocent to reuenge the offenses of others In the meane while that the king remained at Notingham he receiued letters from the princesse of Northwales his daughter declaring that his nobles had conspired with the French king against him and for proofe thereof she alledged that Robert Fitzwater Eustace de Vescy and Stephan Ridell were secretelie fled into France and that the French king prepared an armie to come to England vnder the colour that the king was a rebell from the church for that he would not condescend to the bishop of Romes requests The yeare 1213. Innocentius Pope of Rome did release prince Lhewelyn Gwenwynwyn and Maelgon of those oths that they had made to king Iohn and willed them vnder the paines of cursing to annoie and trouble him all that they could as the enimie of the church Wherevpon forthwith Lhewelyn receiued all the Inland countrie which to this time was in the kings hands But within a little after the king by the persuasion of Pandulph the legat granted the Pope his request and obteined absolution at his hands and releasement of the interdiction vpon performance of his promises Then king Iohn hearing how the French king was in Flanders and had a great nauie at Dam purposing to bring the Earldome into his subiection sent William de Longaspata Earle of Salisburie Reginald Earle of Boleyn and Hugh de Noua villa or Neuill thither with a great nauie who ouerthrew the Frenchmen and returned home with great spoile Shortlie after king Iohn sailed to Rochell where the Earle of those marches and Geffrey de Landanamo were reconciled to him The yeare folowing king Iohn made peace with the French king for fiue yeares Then Rees son to Gruffyth ap Rees which was heire to prince Rees seeing he could haue no part of his fathers lands but that his vncles did keepe all from him by force made his complaint to the king And the king pittieng his estate sent to Foulke Vicount of Caerdyff warden of the marches and to the steward of Hereford commanding them to take all Stratywy from Rees Vachan whom other call Rees Gryc vnlesse he would let his nephues enioie the castell of Lhauymdhyfry with the territorie belonging thereto And they sent to Rees to know his mind who answered them stoutlie that they should not haue one foote of land of him Therefore Foulke gathered a great armie and met with yoong Rees at Talhwynelgain where he looked for him with a number of men that he had gotten in Brechnock and thence they marched in three battelles towardes Dyneuowr of which yoong Rees lead the first Foulke the second and Owen brother to Rees the third Then Rees Vachan came boldlie and gaue them battell where in the end he was put to flight with the losse of a great number of his men Then he went straight and manned the castell of Dineuowr and burned the towne of
which we no waies doo know they which were Iudges in the cause might so haue signified to the kings maiestrie 17 That vnlesse they will now come to peace they shall be resisted by decrée and censure of the church besides warre of the people ¶ The answere of the Prince Lhewelyn to the aboue written Articles Reuerendissimo in CHRISTO Patri Domino Iohanni dei gratia Cantuar. Archiepiscopo totius Angliae Primati suus humilis deuotus filius Lhewelyn Princeps VValliae Dominus Snowden salutem filialem dilectionaem c. CVm omnimoda reuerentia submissione honore sanctae paternitati vestrae pro vestro labore quem intollerabilem assum sistis ad praesens pro dilectione quam erga nos gentem nostram geritis omni qua possumus deuotione regratiantes vobis assurgimus eò ampliùs quòd contra domini Regis voluntatem venistis Caeterùm quod nos rogastis vt ad pacem domini Regis veniamus scire debet vestra sanctitas quòd ad hoc prompti sumus dummodo idem dominus Rex pacem debitam veram nobis nostris velit obseruare Adhaec licet gauderemus de mora vestra in Wallia tamen per nos non eritis impediti quin pax fiat quam in nobis optamus per vestram industriam magis quà m alterius alicuius roborari speramus necper Dei gratiam erit oportunum propter nostram pertinaciam aliquid scribere domino Papae Net vestras paternas preces ac graues labores spernimus sed ea amplectimur omni cordis affectu vt tenemur nec erit opus quòd dominus Rex aggrauet contra nos manum cùm promptisimus sibi obedire iuribus nostris legibus vt praemittitur reseruatis Et licèt regnum Angliae sit curiae Romanae specialiter subiectum dilectum tamen cùm dominus Papa necnon curia Romana audierint quanta nobis per Anglos mala sint illata viz. Quòd pax priùs firmata non fuit nobis seruata nec pacta deinde Ecclesiarum vastationes combustiones Ecclesiasticarum personarum interfectiones Sacerdotum viz. inclusorum aliarum religiosarum personarum passim mulierum infantium vbera sugentium in vtero portantium combustiones etiam hospitalium aliarum domorum religiosarum homicidiorum in coemiterijs Ecclesijs super altaria sicut expressiùs eadem in alijs rotulis conscripta vobis transmittimus inspicienda Speramus in primis quòd vestra pia sancta paternitas clementer nobis compatietur necnon curia supradicta Nec per nos regnum Angliae vacillabit dum vt praemissum est pax debita nobis fiat seruetur Qui verò sanguinis effusione delectantur manifestum est ex factis nam Angli nulli hactenus sexui vel aetati seu languori pepercerunt nulla Ecclesiae vel loco sacro detulerunt qualia vel similia Wallenses nunquam fecerunt Super omnia autem quòd vnus redemptus fuit interfectus multùm dolemus nec occisorem manutenemus sed in syluis vt latro vagatur De eo quòd incoeperunt guerram aliqui tempore indebito illud ignorauimus vsque ad praesens factum tamen ipsi asserunt quòd nisi in eo tempore hoc fecissent mortes captiones eis imminebant nec audebant in domibus se fidere nec nisi armati incedere sic praetimore tali tempore id fecerunt De eis verò quae facimus contra dominum vt verè Christiani per Dei gratiam poenitebimus nec erit ex parte nostra quòd bellum continuetur dum simus indemnes vt debemus ne tamen exhaeredemur passim occidamur oportet nos defendere vt valeamus Cùm verò iniuria damna hinc inde considerentur ponderentur parati sumus emendare pro viribus quae ex parte nostra sunt commissa dum de praedictis iniurijs damnis nobis factis alijs emenda nobis fiat Et ad pacem firmandam stabiliendam similiter sumus prompti quando tamen Regalis charta pacta inita nobis non seruantur sicut nec hucùsque sunt obseruata non potest pax stabiliri nec quando nouae inauditae exactiones contra nos nostros quotidie adinueniuntur vobis autem transmittimus in rotulis damna iniurias nobis illatas non secundum formam pacis priùs factam Quòd autem guerrauimus necessitas nos cogebat nam nos omnes Wallenses eramus adeo oppressi suppeditati spoliati in seruitutem redacti per regales Iusticiarios Balliuos contra formam pacis omnem iustitiam non aliter quà m si Sarraceni essemus vel Iudaei Et saepe domino Regi denunciauimus haec sed nullam emendam habere potuimus sed semper mittebantur Iusticiarij Balliui ferociores crudeliores Et quando illi erant satiati per suas iniustas exactiones alij de nouo mittebantur ad populum excoriandum ita quòd populus malebat mori quà m viuere nec oportet contra nos militiam ampliorem conuocare nec contra nos moueri sacerdotium dummodo nobis fiat pax seruetur modis debitis vt superiùs est expressum Nec debetis sancte pater omnibus verbis credere aduersariorum nostrorum sicut enim nos factis oppresserunt opprimunt ita verbis defamant nobis imponentes quae volunt ipsi vobis saepe sunt praesentes nos absentes ipsi opprimentes nos oppressi ideo propter dominum fidem eis in omnibus non adhibeatis sed facta potiùs examinetis Valeat Sanctitas vestra ad regimen Ecclesiae per tempora longa Data apud Garth Celyn in festo Sancti Martini To the most reuerend Father in Christ the lord Iohn by gods grace Archbishop of Canturburie Primate of all England his humble and deuout sonne Lhewelyn prince of VVales and lord of Snowdonsendeth greeting WIth all reuerent submission and honor we yeeld our most humble and hartie thanks vnto your fatherhood for the great and greeuous paines which at this present for the loue of vs and our nation you haue sustained and so much the more we are beholden vnto you for that besides the kings pleasure you would venture to come vnto vs. In that you request vs to come to the kings peace we would haue your holinesse to know that we are most readie and willing to the same so that our lord the king will duelie and trulie obserue and keepe the peace towards vs and ours Moreouer although we would be glad of your continuance in VVales yet we hope there shall not be any delaie in vs but that peace which of all things we most desire and wish for may be forthwith established and rather by your trauell and procurement than by any other mans so that it shall not be needefull to complaine vnto the Pope of our wilfulnes neither do
touching the lord Lhewelyn we can haue none other answer but that he shall submit himselfe simplie to the king and we beléeue certeinlie he will deale mercifullie with him and to that end we trauell all we can and verelie beléeue to be heard These following are to be said to the Prince in secret FIrst that the nobilitie of England haue conceiued this forme of fauorable peace that the lord Lhewelyn should submit himselfe to the king and the king should honorablie prouide for him a thousand pound starling and some honorable countie in England So that the said Lhewelyn would put the king in quiet possession of Snowdon and the king will prouide honorablie for the daughter of Lhewelyn according to the state and condecencie of his owne bloud and to these they hope to persuade the king 2 Item if it happen that Lhewelyn marrie a wife and to haue by hir anie heire male they trust to intreate the king that the same heire male and his heires for euer shall haue the same thousand pound and countie 3 Item to the people subiect to the said Lhewelyn the king will prouide as becommeth their estates and condition and to that the king is well inclined These are to be said to Dauid brother to Lhewelyn in secret FIrst that if for the honor of God Iuxta debitum crucis assumptae he will go to the holie land he shall be prouided for according to his degrée so that he doo not returne vnlesse he be called by the king and we trust to entreat the king to prouide for his child 2 And these things we tell our selues to the Welshmen that a great deale greater perill dooth hang ouer them than we told them by mouth when we were with them these things which we write séeme gréeuous but it is a great deale more gréeuous to be oppressed with armes and finallie to be rooted out bicause euerie daie more and more their danger dooth increase 3 Item it is more hard to be alwaies in warre in anguish of mind and danger of bodie alwaies sought besieged and so to die in deadlie sinne and continuall rancor and malice 4 Item we feare whereof we be sorie vnlesse you doo agrée to peace we most certeinlie will aggrauate the sentence Ecclesiasticall against you for your faults of the which you can not excuse your selues whereas yée shall find both grace and mercie if you will come to peace And send vs your answer of these in writing Reuerendissimo in CHRISTO Patri ac Domino Iohanni dei gratia Archiepiscopo Cantuar. ac totius Angliae Primati suus in Christo debitus filius Lhewelinus Princeps VValliae Dominus Snowdon salutem CVm desiderijs beneuolentiae filialis ac reuerentijs multimodis honoribus Sancte Pater sicut vosmet consuluistis ad gratiam Regiam parati sumus venire sub forma tamen nobis secura honesta Sed quia forma consenta in articulis and nos missis nec secura est nec honesta prout nobis concilio nostro videtur de quamultùm admirantur omnes quòd plùs tendit ad ruinam destructionem nostram populi nostri quà m ad nostram securitatem honestatem nùllo modo possumus consensum nostrum in eam praebere sivellemus alúque nobiles populus nobis subiectus nullo modo consentirent ob indubitatam destructionem dissipationem quae inde eis possit euenire Tamen supplicamus vestram sanctam paternitatem quatenus ad reformationem pacis debitae honestae securae ob quam tot labores assumpsistis prouidè laboretis collationem habentes ad articulos quos vobis mittimus in scriptis Honorabilius est magis rationi consentaneum vt de domino Rege teneamus terras in quibus nos habitamus quà m nos exhaeredari eas tradere alijs Datae apud Garth Celyn To the most reuerend Father in Christ the lord Iohn by gods grace Archbishop of Canturburie and Primate of all England his obedient sonne Lhewelyn prince of VVales and lord of Snowdon sendeth greeting MOst hartily with all reuerence and honor we are content and readie holie father as you haue counselled vs to submit our selues vnto the kings Grace so it be in that forme that shall be safe and honest for vs but because that forme of submission conteined in the articles which were sent vnto vs is neither safe nor honest as we and our councell do thinke at the which articles all men do maruell tending rather to the destruction of vs and our people than anie securitie and honest dealing we may in no wise yeeld our assent vnto it and if we should so doo our nobles and people would not agree to the same knowing the mischiefe and inconuenience that is like to ensue thereof Neuerthelesse we beseech your holie fatherhood that for the reformation of a decent honest and firme peace for the which you haue taken so great paines you doo circumspectlie prouide hauing respect vnto the articles which we send vnto you in writing It is more honorable for the king more agreable to reason that we should hold our lands in the countrie where wee dwell than that wee should be disinherited and our lands giuen to other men Dated at Garth Celyn The Answers of the VVelshmen FIrst though the lord the king will haue no treatie of the foure Cantreds the lands that he gaue his nobles nor the Isle of Anglesey yet the Princes councell will no peace to be made vnlesse treatie be had of them For that the foure Cantreds be of the more tenure of the Prince where alwaies the Princes of Wales had more right since the time of Camber the sonne of Brutus so that they be of the principalitie of Wales The confirmation of the which the Prince obtained by Octobonus the Popes legate in England by the consent of the king and his father as it doth appeare by the letters patents And more iust and equall it is that our heires doo hold the said Cantreds of the king for monie and vsed seruice than the same to be giuen to strangers which abuse the people by force and power 2 All the tenants of all the Cantreds of Wales altogither doo saie that they dare not submit themselues to the king to doo his pleasure First for that the king kept neither couenant nor oth nor grant by charter from the begining to the Prince or his people Secondlie for that the kings men doo cruellie exercise tyrannie towards the Church and Church-men Thirdlie that they be not bound to anie such matter séeing they be the Princes tenants who is readie to doo vsed and accustomed seruice and to obey the king with and by the said seruice 3 To that which is said that the Prince should simplie commit himselfe to the kings will it is answered that none of vs all dare come to the king for the causes aforesaid we altogither will not suffer our Prince to come in that